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That ancient invention...
**helen**
Deactivated Posts: 9,235 Supreme Poster
The Library!
Someone said in chat that they would join book club if they could afford to buy the books. You do know that you can borrow books from the library for FREE, right?
Who does actually use one? And why... And if not, why not?
Someone said in chat that they would join book club if they could afford to buy the books. You do know that you can borrow books from the library for FREE, right?
Who does actually use one? And why... And if not, why not?
Post edited by JustV on
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The librarians were always really welcoming and didn't mind extending the time I was on the internet because it's pretty much always empty. Which is sad. Ooh and have also been there to speak with a CAB advisor who does sessions there once a week. Not all just books I guess
That's a shame. What do you think would happen if you requested a book in? I've known people to do that for book clubs and they've been pretty accomodating...but I guess it depends on the place.
The local library is terrible anyhow, they hardly ever get new books.
Nina x
I honestly don't know, but given how generally useless they are, I'd imagine not a lot.
Point in case:
Opening Times
Monday 10am-7pm
Tuesday 10am-7pm
Wednesday 10am-5pm
Thursday 10am-8pm
Friday 10am-5pm
Saturday 10am-5pm
Sunday 11am-4pm
So unless you have the combined good fortunes of working nearby and having no after-work commitments then essentially the library isn't available to you during the week. Apart from maybe Thursdays. You'd think in a city with two universities you wouldn't have trouble finding staff to keep the place open until 10pm during the week.
To be fair:
Braintree Library
Fairfield Road
Braintree
CM7 3YL
Telephone: 01376 320752
Renewals: 01376 326057
Fax: 01376 553316
Library Opening Times:
Reduced opening hours from 4th July 2011 as follows:-
Monday: 9.00am - 5.00pm
Tuesday: 9.00am - 5.00pm
Wednesday: 9.00am - 5.00pm
Thursday: 9.00am - 5.00pm
Friday: 9.00am - 5.00pm
Saturday: 9.00am - 5.00pm
Sunday: Closed
It used to be open 'til 7pm and me and mam would go over between work and Slimming World (back when we went...) and browse for a bit.
Shame, really. At least it's open on Saturdays? (Although that does mean I don't actually have an excuse for still owing them £13 in fines...)
Also I get books at charity shops - Oxfam bookshops are particularly good as they only stock books so have lots of choice. I got several books from Oxfam last weekend so will save myself a fair bit per book compared to buying it new.
Also for second hand books I keep seeing these "free bookshops" popping up http://www.healthyplanet.org/projects/books-for-free.aspx I have got free books from the one in Tufnell Park (one about how to be a good fundraiser so good to read for my voluntary work) and one from the free bookshop in Reading of short stories by Christian writers (I like that sort of thing).
I've got twelve books out right now.
I try to buy all my books second-hand from charity shops. I generally only go to Amazon for stuff I've been recommended and am likely to have a ballache finding.
Sure, although I reckon the reality is more about funding for staff as opposed to a problem finding them... Maybe they could recruit volunteers though :chin:
In terms of after work commitments, you'd have to be busy every single night to not be able to pop in, and if that's the case then it's clearly not a priority for you to pick up a few books... as Franki says, she used to pop by inbetween commitments, and there's always the weekend... You're good at making excuses Mr Carpet.
It sucks your library closes at 5pm Franki - that is taking the Michael Bliss and is definitely more reason for complaint.
Ninaballet - have you ever tried to ask them to order in a book for you? I only say this because it would be lovely for you to be able to in ye old book club. :d
All this from someone who only has a library card to get cheap local cinema tickets on a Friday night
Impressive
I'll have to try it *goes to find library card*!
Nina x
I normally got to waterstones look at books take a photo of the ISBN and try it in the library catalogue first, then amazon. Saying that I spend a fortune in second hand bookshops and charity shops - we have 2 specialist charity bookshops and 3 secondhand bookshops in less than a mile of each other.
Home library:
Monday: 09.00 - 18.00
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: 09.00 - 18.00
Thursday: 14.00 - 18.00
Friday: 14.00 - 18.00
Saturday: 09.00 - 13.00
Sunday: Closed
It always seems to be a Tuesday when I want to go.
However Uni library is open 24hrs a day, pretty cool.
They are also open till 9pm except Saturday and Sunday, when they close at 5pm.
They always have tons of other stuff going on too, which I should, but rarely take advantage of. Crafting, cooking, games, resume and word/excel workshops and lots of stuff for kids like puppet shows and storytime. They even had a pie eating contest at the beginning of June. http://www.palatinelibrary.org/events/2012-07
It is a nice place
Well, to librarians books are more valuable than people.
One time that I moved house I tried to tell them that I had a change of address and they needed lots of proof I didn't have so wouldn't change it on their computer system. Surely it would be better that they had the right address though than an old address as I didn't live there anymore.
For general reading I use charity shops and then just take them back when I'm done. Mainly because I've got a flare for leaving books on trains/planes/work or forgetting to take them back so rack up library fines so this way the charity shop gets the money and it doesn't matter if they get lost.
If I'm after something particular I tend to get it as a Kindle/iBook as I don't lose my iPad and it's easy to travel with. In my case the failure to use the library system is definitely me rather than the librarys. They're there, they're good when I use them, especially when it comes to ordering stuff in - it's just I'm disorganised.
These shops are popping up everywhere and they are not libraries. furthermore they are actually taking £millions away from public services.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/c77b68cc-112a-11e1-a95c-00144feabdc0.html
Treading a fine line between ?scam? and ?service? in Financial Times
they let landlords a tax loophole and give away books that they buy at 2p!!
If it looks too good to be true it generally is!
This threads quite a few months old, it was dragged up by a spammer
I got a beauty therapy instructional book out yeeeears ago when I was doing a course. Completely forgot to take it back, moved house (so I never saw any threatening letters..) but it had got the point where the fine would have been so hefty and I was too embarassed to take it back because it had been over a year. Felt like a bandit