I’ve asked, in the past, about whether you more often buy your books, or get them from libraries. What I want to know today, is, WHY BUY?
Even if you are a die-hard fan of the public library system, I’m betting you have at least ONE permanent resident of your bookshelves in your house. I’m betting that no real book-lover can go through life without owning at least one book. So … why that one? What made you buy the books that you actually own, even though your usual preference is to borrow and return them?
If you usually buy your books, tell me why. Why buy instead of borrow? Why shell out your hard-earned dollars for something you could get for free?
Simply put, because my local library sucks. I gave it up years ago when I decided I was tired of choosing from their selection…I much prefer the selection at the bookstore.
And crap, I’ve gotta go…maybe I’ll be back later to gripe to Paris about the lack of internet access in the hotel rooms and the fact that I’m sitting in the freaking lobby with all my co-workers watching me.
I will say both. I buy and I use the library. Living in my country’s capital (Copenhagen, Denmark) I have access to the biggest libraries and what my local library don’t have, I can order online from any other of the city’s libraries. Easy. I loan books that I am not sure I want to own. Also, books are extremely expensive in Denmark due to certain taxes, so when there is a new Danish/Scandinavian thriller out, it costs a lot. And it is not made into a paperback until perhaps a year later (if it is a bestseller).
English and American paperbacks are relatively cheap, and I have some series that I collect, and I want them all on my shelves, so I buy. I use irl bookstores and online ones. Due to tax- and duty rules I am not able to buy from other sites than European ones, which stinks because books are cheaper in USA, even considering the postage.
Just some thoughts from Copenhagen,
Louise
http://louspages.blogspot.com
I get books from everywhere. I buy more than I should, perhaps and I rarely keep them. I give or mooch them away. My library is often an after thought and I always seem to go there when they are closed. It is the most frustrating thing – they never seem to be open.
I like to buy because I love the smell and feel of a brand new book. I do however use the library system. We have a pretty good one with about probably 30 libraries in our city and you can take books out from any of them.
I buy because if I love a book I want to read it over and over again. I also hate waiting for a book and in our library there is always such a wait for the good books. Sadly, there is also a wait for Danielle Steele (not that I would know).
Ibuy all my books! I truly do
and lol @ your last comment
I hope you don’t mind that I have tagged you in a little Book Worm thing….
http://louspages.blogspot.com/2008/11/national-blog-posting-month-14-bookworm.html
Buy… ’cause if you don’t buy ‘em, publishers will go out of business and there won’t BE any books to read. Actually, we buy ’cause we don’t want to wait to finally get our hands on a library copy, IF they have one.