Can You Imagine Your Local Library Not Having...
By highlyclever
@highlyclever (1111)
United States
July 9, 2008 7:33pm CST
Access to an inter-library loan system? There are probably folks on-site who remember back in the days when each library was an entity unto itself, but these days it seems that most libraries are connected and book-sharing is such a rich resource for patrons.
Well... What if your local library's inter-library loan funding got cut? Would this have a great impact on you or not?
In my case, it would, as the next nearest library is approximately 40 minutes away.
4 responses
@cobrateacher (8432)
• United States
10 Jul 08
Although they haven't used the term in many years, they were originally called lending libraries. Libraries without the word lending were in individuals' homes. I have more books in my home library than in most school libraries. Now they're almost finished building a public lending library. I'm wondering about selling my thousands of volumes to unclutter the house and just walking down the driveway for any book I want.
1 person likes this
@cobrateacher (8432)
• United States
10 Jul 08
While the economy is as bad as it is and the library's at the end of the driveway, I considered selling the books. My neighbor told me they ususally sell for 25 to cents each! That would tear my heart out, because people who spend so little for them might not cherish them. Then again, maybe people who wish they could have a collection of their own books but they can't afford it would be helped, and that would be wonderful!
What a lovely dilemma!
1 person likes this
@highlyclever (1111)
• United States
10 Jul 08
LOL... I probably have one of the larger libraries in my town housed in my home... and you're right, it's not a public lending library (LOL) :)
But that actually gets me to wondering how many books the average person has in their home, and how it compares to a local library for numbers?
Many libraries take donations, but some turn around and sell these donations to help the library with its expenses and new acquisitions... I'm sure that this depends on the library (and the donor), though.
Thanks for your reply!
@raynejasper (2322)
• Philippines
10 Jul 08
..well, yeah.. surely.. it's good for you, you have another library to use. For us, although we have libraries near us, we need to pay before we could research unless when its inter-library loan, we could just surf the net.
1 person likes this
@cobrateacher (8432)
• United States
10 Jul 08
Poor you! Have you tried e-books and virtual libraries?
1 person likes this
@highlyclever (1111)
• United States
10 Jul 08
I hadn't even thought about that. Thankfully, the other library has issued me a card and allows me to check out books free of charge. I hadn't thought about libraries charging for out of area patrons...
@Shawchert (1094)
• United States
10 Jul 08
my library loan system has crap... Never has the books I want to read... :(
@Shawchert (1094)
• United States
10 Jul 08
lol I'm talking about the interlibrary loan my library is a part of owwl.org and as I said it doesn't have the books I like XD quite a few of them actually :(
@highlyclever (1111)
• United States
10 Jul 08
I found that sometimes within my local library system they don't always have the types of books that I am looking for... but then I found that you can sometimes request books from outside of the local system through the interlibrary loan program... which provides some variety and alternatives. :) Thanks for your reply!
@highlyclever (1111)
• United States
10 Jul 08
This is going to sound like a silly question, but what are libraries like in China? Do you have lending libraries there?
I like to own books, too. All too often, I check out a book from the library, keep it for the lending period (but forget to read it), and then I get a call from the library reminding me to return it (and that I have a library fine because it is late!) When I buy a book, I don't have to worry about the overdue fee! ;) But the lending library is a little cheaper than buying a book every time I want to read about something. :)
