Saturday, June 4, 2016

Local libraries

I saw this article at Book Riot and it got me thinking about my local library.
http://bookriot.com/2016/06/01/i-love-my-library-i-hate-my-library/


I like my library although, because I don't live in an English speaking country, 98% of the books there aren't in english, meaning we have to wait for translations.
Translations aren't as cheap as originals and, as you can probably know, libraries have a budget. I know it's not easy for my local library to buy new books all the time, so many of the genres I like or the authors I like I have already read. 
Yes, there are always new possible finds to discover there but as my attention went towards more specific authors and types of books, the more difficult it is to find appealing books there. But the library is perfect for classics, for instance.

The library has another problem, it can't only dedicate its budget to one genre. So, maybe new books aren't the type of things I like to read. Why should I push myself to read something I don't have interest in only because is available?

The physical building also has a part in my sort of distancing from the library. My local library is located at a good place but once inside, the fiction section where I love to browse at will is int he same room as the computers, such a necessary equipment for nowadays' visitors there. I confess I find it annoying I can't just look at books without feeling other people's eyes in the back of my head or not being able to get down to the lower shelves without thinking people are looking at me. The section where there are no computers and not as many people is the non fiction. If only it could be the other way around...

I know my reasons aren't more than excuses. But I am lucky I own many books so the library is a complement for me. But at a time it wasn't, when I wasn't earning my own money it was such a big help and I fondly remember the juvenile books I went to get on my own because no friend of mine in school liked to read. Then how I started to visit the upper room in the adult section... I have great memories of my library and what it means to me still, but I also recognize it's not perfect for my current tastes and favorite books.

What about you, how was/is your experience with the local library?

2 comments:

  1. Ha! Well I work in a library, which has it's advantages. I find I use the library a lot for books outside of the romance genre, new-to-me authors I may not be sure about and audio books. I also tend to use the library remotely/electronically. Requesting physical books through the catalog and then once they are delivered to my library, checking them out and not browsing the shelves. Or I simply download ebooks and e-audio and never set foot into an actual library building.

    When I was a younger it was a much different story. I would ride my bike to town, go to the library, and simply browse. Just wander through the stacks and pick up books that looked interesting. I read a lot of mystery and Gothics in those days. And this was pre-computer, but still - I didn't use the old card catalog too much, simply went browsing.

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    1. As far as I know my library doesn't have audio-books...and even if it did I don't think I'd enjoy them because they would be in portuguese or of authors I don't particularly like, so... same for ebooks...
      And I do like to browse and look at shelves you know... but I don't always have the time to be there as soon as it opens which would be the best time to find it without too many people crowding he fiction section because of the computers...

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