Tag Archives: Libraries

#BookishAcquistionTracker

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I did a poll on both Instagram and Twitter to see if people wanted me to write a post about how I track how much money I save by borrowing books from the library, and the votes were unanimous.  Today I am going to discuss how I track how much money I save by borrowing books from the library and what I use to track my book acquisitions.  In my 2019 Bookish Year in Review post I posted the following statistics:
          Books that I purchased
          Books acquired using gift cards or free
          Money saved from borrowing books from the library

To keep track of my monthly book hauls I use these pages from BibliophilePrints:

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As it has a spot for the price, even when I borrow books from the library, I go to the *Barnes and Noble website and look up the prices of books that I borrowed.  Unless the book is only available as an eBook or paperback in which I will use those prices, I always use the hardcover prices regardless of the format that I read (personal preference).  I then write the total price saved each month on a blank space on the page.  Prices of books that I purchase will always be reflective of the format that I purchase.

To track how many books I bought or acquired with a gift card or for free, I use the following excel spreadsheet:

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I have other spreadsheets that I use to track other stats, but I won’t get into those as they aren’t relevant to this post.  I will also not be making them available.

*I only buy my books from Barnes and Noble as it is my personal preference.  I refuse to purchase books from Amazon (there are plenty of articles online about how horrible Amazon is for buying books), and I won’t even get started on the Margaret Atwood mess (that can be Googled too).  If I can get to an indie bookstore I will buy from them, but as I have literally no shelf space if I purchase any books, they will mostly be eBooks.

#Libraries

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If you couldn’t tell from the title, today’s discussion is going to be about libraries.  I’ve done posts about libraries in the past, which you can check out here and here.  I was actually inspired to write this post after I saw something on Twitter earlier this week that really annoyed me to no end.  Someone tweeted that people don’t go to libraries anymore, and then that same person had the nerve to post another tweet which also annoyed people.  This person’s tweets came across as ignorant and very elitist.  Although, the person did also post another tweet owning his mistake. 

Libraries are vital for the growth of communities, they are more than just books. Am I privileged to buy all the books I want to read? Yes, I am, but does that mean I go out and buy every book I want to read? No, it doesn’t, I would be very elitist if I went out and bought every single book that I wanted to read. Yes, I said it, the people who have access to libraries, but don’t use them and buy every single book that they want to read are in my brutally honest opinion elitist. I have access to three different libraries, and yes I use all three of them quite often. I use the library in my town, the library that I volunteer at once a week, and I have an eCard for the city library.  I’ve borrowed more books than I’ve bought this year. There are so many people that don’t have access to libraries, which provide more than books. People who don’t have internet, they can go to the library and use the internet for whatever they need to use it for, apply for jobs, go to different classes that their library offers.

If you’ve paid attention to the current administration, one of the things in the proposed budget is cutting federal funding for libraries. The ALA released an excellent statement about it.

So please, if you have access to a library use it.

#NationalLibraryWeek

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Today is the third day of National Library Week, a week to celebrate libraries and why we love them. National Library Week started Sunday, but I wanted to write this post today. It is important, that if you have access to a library that you take full advantage of everything that your library has to offer. I know a lot of libraries have different services.

Here is a list of ways to support your library:
1.)Borrow books and movies, even books borrowed from OverDrive and Hoopla count towards circulation.  My library is part of a consortium, which means I can get books delivered to the most convenient library to pick them up if my normal location doesn’t have the book.  I also have access to the entire state catalog with my library card.  If no library in the consortium has the book, I can search the statewide catalog and have the book delivered to my local library.
2.) Donate books that you don’t want anymore. I usually split my unhaul pile in half. I donate half to the library and half to good will.
3.) Volunteer. If you love books volunteering is such a rewarding experience. One of my favorite things about volunteering is seeing all the kids leave with a decent sized stack of books.
4.) Libraries often have book sales where you can buy books at amazing prices, and all the money goes to the library. I highly suggest going to a library book sale, you won’t be disappointed.

Things that libraries can offer:
1.) Overdrive and Hoopla- these are digital services where you can borrow eBooks and Audiobooks. I use these quite often.
2.) Language learning- One of my libraries offers Mango, it’s a service where you can learn a new language for free with the use of your library card.
3.) Freegal Music- I love this service. You get five free downloads per week. It does only offer music from Sony and imprints, but the catalog is huge!
4.) Classes- a lot of libraries offer classes to learn something new.

A lot of people in the world don’t have access to books, whether it be because they can’t afford them or they don’t have access to a library. If you have access to a library, I highly suggest that you use it. And if you don’t use a library when you have access to one, think of all the people that don’t have access.

I love my and appreciate my libraries, what do you love about your library?  For those of you who don’t support your local library, this article might get you to change your mind just a little bit, and make you realize how important they really are.

#LibraryLove

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Today’s discussion is about libraries.  Recently I started volunteering at a local library, and it’s not only rewarding but for someone who loves books it’s heaven.  Since I’ve been volunteering, I’ve come to realize how important they really are.  A lot of people can’t always buy books, and because libraries are free they’re an amazing source to get books.  Libraries aren’t just a place for books, they also have a lot of different programs.  For youngsters, libraries are a great place to get into reading and discover what types of books that they like, which isn’t always easy.  Discovering new books and authors isn’t just for youngsters either, it’s a great place for older readers to discover books and authors that they have never read or heard of before.  One of my favorite things about volunteering at a library is the sense of nostalgia.  I see books that I loved when I was younger.  And one of the most rewarding things is seeing the little kids come and go with decent sized stacks of books.  Recently, I have been utilizing the library a lot more, and I suggest others do the same.  Libraries need us.