posted
Yeah, that kinda is more hassle than my local library. I order whatever I want online through interlibrary loan (City of L.A. has almost anything you could ever want to read, listen to, or otherwise partake of in the way of books, plus a good selection of music, and most of it is available through interlibrary loan.) Then they e-mail me when my books are in and I have two weeks to drop by (the local branch library is walking distance from my apartment) and pick them up. No human contact necessary except "I have books on hold" and handing the librarian my card.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Kasie, if I were into audio books I might try them. I love the convenience of getting stuff in the mail.
But I don't like audiobooks, and most of the paperbacks I buy I re-read. So it makes more sense for me to spend the same money on used paperbacks (Amazon, thriftbooks, seashellbooks) than on this.
It's a really cool idea, though!
Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
I can get books from any library in the state, usually within a week or so. I pick them up from the library branch across from my office on my lunch hour and it costs me nothing. I can return the book to any branch in the state.
I can also browse the racks and get whatever is available, and if what I want to read is available in paperback, it's usually considered an "honorback" with no due date.
And it costs me nothing. (which is important, because I'm cheap that way)
Posts: 2069 | Registered: May 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
I also like to buy used books, and I do frequently. But for "junk" reading - something I'm likely to read once and forget about it, or when trying a new author that I'm not sure I'll enjoy, I always go to the library first.
Most of the time, when I buy used paperback books, I'll buy 12-15, read them all, decide to keep 2-3 and donate the rest to the library for the honorback system or the MFOL bookstore.
[We have a great used bookstore run by the Maui Friends of the Library (in the middle of nowhere - if you don't know where it is, you'd never find it) that sells all paperbacks for 10 cents each. My favorite place. It's guarded by attack roosters and killer mosquitoes.]
Posts: 2069 | Registered: May 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
Sounds like that might be a good option for you, then, KasieH. Or maybe you should move to Maryland, near a Metro station. I guess if you look at the cost of this service relative to such a change, it isn't that unreasonable. Is it 12.99 a month, though?
Posts: 11017 | Registered: Apr 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
I got myself an Amazon credit card, every time an insurance bill, or property tax bill comes in (anything huge), I pay with that. Points accrue pretty quickly that way.
Posts: 3134 | Registered: Mar 2005
| IP: Logged |
I use that site, but I only signed up two months ago. I was pretty impressed last month; this month I've been a little less impressed with the turnaround time (which was partly compounded by the holiday weekend). I also don't usually get one of my top 3-5 books, which doesn't really matter to me--I just like listening to books during my commute.
I wish it were cheaper, but the cheaper services I found don't send the entire book at once--and what good would that do?
Hope that helps. Posts: 3 | Registered: May 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Growing up, the city library had a "mail-a-book" program for those of us who lived out in the country. They gave us a catalog of books they had entered into the mail-a-book program, and we would send in a postcard listing what we wanted to "check out" -- they sent the books in a mailer (book rate - sometimes took awhile) - I would read them and send them back, along with a new card with more requests.
It was great -- I read a lot that way without ever having to step foot in a library.
But I supposed it is just for underserved rural areas, not Washington DC
posted
This site is so cool Kasie! I'll definitely have to look into it. I think 8.50 a month is worth all the money I'll save when not buying books.
I've put a book ban on myself, meaning, I can't buy a book until 2007. It's really hard. I wonder if paying a monthly fee to read books counts as buying books....Hm....
Posts: 6415 | Registered: Jul 2000
| IP: Logged |
Printer-friendly view of this topic
![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
![[Grumble]](graemlins/grumble.gif)
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
