4 ms·
I recently rediscovered my local library and fell in love. There are several libraries in my county that share a collection of books, and I can request a book a
by neilsharma 11y ago
I recently rediscovered my local library and fell in love. There are several libraries in my county that share a collection of books, and I can request a book available in a different library to be fetched and held for me at the library of my choice -- for free! Probably 90% of books in my goodreads reading list are accessible this way.
I used to buy a few kindle books (or pirate the ones I couldn't find digital copies of), but I found out I read both more and faster with tangible books. And the three-week rental period (with the option to renew for up to six more weeks) encourages me to actually finish books in a timely manner.
My library also hosts cultural shows and has a small museum -- currently there are several pre-modern human skulls on display.
Plus, internet speeds hit 50Mbps+. Never need to go to a local coffeehouse again.
The only odd thing about my library is how ebook rentals (3-week digital access) can be out of stock. Don't know what kind of licensing deal they have with publishers, but this seems pointless.
On a different note, what I've noticed is how easy platforms like this help fight piracy:
Netflix + HBO --> fewer torrented movies/shows.
Steam/Humble Bundle/etc --> fewer illegal games.
Libraries --> fewer pirated books.
Youtube/Spotify/Pandora --> no longer need to maintain a library of illegally procured music.
With the right combination of price, selection, accessibility, and convenience, piracy to me has seemed less appealing over the years.
- kencausey 11y agoPerhaps I misunderstand your first paragraph but Inter-library loan is a system that allows you to request via your local library any book available in libraries all over the world. There may be cases where a charge is involved but I've requested book several times now in recent years and my local library hasn't charged me anything yet. If your library allows you to search Worldcat via their website that interface may also allow you to request the items all via the web.
- neilsharma 11y agoOh really? I never heard of the Inter-library loan system or Worldcat. The default search system at my county library seems limited to just whatever is in its network of nine local libraries, but I'll check if they have those systems as an option. Thanks for the tip.
- intopieces 11y ago>I can request a book available in a different library to be fetched and held for me at the library of my choice -- for free! I know what you mean by 'free,' but I think it's important to remember that the services are not actually free, they depend on our tax dollars. This is why it's important, if you love your library, to fight for its funding and to make sure your local representatives know what a value the library is to your community.
- neilsharma 11y agoThanks for the clarification. True, its far from free, and needs the continued support of the citizens to continue to function.