Do you use your local Library?

I go to my local Library quite often sometimes to go online but also to borrow books. I have allways been an avid reader from childhood and being a member of the library meant l could have books for free.:slight_smile: These days l find it hard to find books l enjoy l am tierd of books based in WWll wich are usually romances. I eagerly anticipate each years new books but find few I like. Still at least I can allways return any books l don’t like. Buy one from ashop and I am stuck with it.

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No it has more computers than books, Amazon offers so many free kindle books I’ll never read them all before I die so I download them.

Our library has been closed for nearly two years now, as they found asbestos in the roof during renovations.

Libraries are fantastic!

If I see a new book I like the look of and it’s only available in hardback and is a tenner on kindle I’ll order it from my local library and hey presto!
It only takes a week or two to arrive, I get an email, and it’s mine for a month! Brilliant.

I use ours regularly, I always get three or four books out at a time and then I’m sure that I’ll enjoy at least one of them!

I haven’t been to our library since it moved to a new site, years ago. I get my books from book shops or charity shops or car boot sales now.
There is nothing like holding a book in your hands, the smell, the printing, the pictures if it has any & the weight. I never want a kindle.

I think it was a couple of years ago that I last visited my local library.
It was only because I thought that they were going to start loaning out ebooks that I could download.
Wrong. I had been mislead. The library’s in my area were not going to do so.
One of the other large library’s has closed down, and my local one had reduced the selection of books,
I have been reading ebooks long before the kindle came about, on different devices.
I now own 2 kindles. I have 296 books in ‘cloud’ and at present 79 on the kindle that I am using.
Every day I am sent a selection of free books from Amazon, that I can select the ones I fancy and download.
If they are not a good read, then I just delete them, but they still stay in ’ cloud’.
I also have a couple of CDs that contain a few thousand books and not just classics. :wink:
I find it difficult to read a tree book now. As I have no need.

Just to add that I can order/reserve a book from my library online.
Takes about 10 seconds.
Just ordered The Wonder by Emma Donoghue, it’s radio 4 's book at bedtime. I’m the 6th in the Q…

You’d probably love our local Book Barn, it has over a million books in it and smells wonderful! Most books are £1 each! Some lovely vintage ones.

Sounds my kind of shop, TessA. Guess its not near me though?

I must go-it`s been years.

Love my local library and if I don’t go my other half brings me a couple of books when he’s there.
I’ve never really fancied a kindle, it’s just not the same as a bookcase full of books you can pick up when you want. Long live the libraries!!

Have to say ours is also a community hub so is changing - sign of the times, maybe - but still like a visit.

When I get around to volunteering I’d like to visit people who can’t get out and about and change library books for them.
I think I’d like that…

Occasionally, usually watch the Youtube vids loaded on here so they dont swallow my miserly download of 5GB.

Also tend to get the hardback books of authors i like,and theuy often have sales of books, dvd`s etc.

I use the library quite a lot for research. I also run IT sessions once a week, mainly for old dears, but I don’t think any of them are on here, especially given their lack of computer skills.

Devon’s not that far from Somerset Tiff. They have a website too http://www.bookbarninternational.com/
but of course there’s no smell to it! :cry:

Thanks for the link, TessA, but don’t get to Bristol much, in fact think I’ve only been once & that was a long time ago.
I also love going into second hand book shops, now they smell lovely, all musty & papery.:lol:

I used to love our main library - huge, majestic and full of books. Joined when I was about 8yrs old and have belonged ever since. Used to drop in on my way from school to do my homework upstairs there in the ‘reference’ section because it was so peaceful.

Now they have turned the upstairs bit into a ‘Local History/Genealogy’ resource - which is interesting and very useful.

However - the main library on the ground floor has become a nightmare - more computers than books, coffee bar full of chavs playing with their mobile phones and totally ignoring their unruly brats racing around and causing chaos by pulling books from the shelves and sliding them about on the floor.

It has become a place to be avoided. The village library is small but good - it has limited stock but they are always willing to order books.

Indeed I do! However, my local Council want to shut down our old quaint building, and put it into a new (most probably characterless) one within the housing estate nearby!! It also plans to incorporate the children’s nursery, pharmacy, social hall, and a cafe. Hmmmmmm. We love our library as it is, thank you.

They claim it is a dark building (oh no it isn’t), not fit for purpose (oh yes it is) and will cost a lot of money for upkeep. It is also part of the council’s plan for everybody to be within 1.5 miles of a library, and cannot understand why footfall is low. Well, it might be due to the fact that even though we have an ever increasing population, that doesn’t mean to say they want to use the library and its facilities. And I dispute their finding, anyway.

I went to a recent consultation and if we have our way, our library will remain open. One other one within the borough has had a 12 month reprieve due to local opposition, but they don’t have an area nearby where a new one can be built.

I do wish these authorities would leave well alone!!!

Yes Jazzi I used to use the main one a lot when I was working and before ebooks. It was such an interesting place. I could pop in there on my way home to change my books.
There is still one in highams park, but there is talk of that being closed. We still have the main one in station road Chingford. The one in hall lane has been closed.
As I said earlier I rarely use them now.