You Could Get That for FREE
by FireMom ~ February 10th, 2008. Filed under: Asides.Like what you're reading? Subscribe to our feed.
Anyone else scratching their head about BookSwim? I mean, perhaps we’re spoiled because we live five minutes from our local library which is attached to a twenty-plus library network (meaning we can get any book at any of those libraries). But really? You want me to pay anywhere from 15 to 60 bucks per month to… borrow books? The library is free, ya know. Even with gas and the twenty cent fine I had last week it’s still cheaper to bundle up and go once a month. (Not that we aren’t there every week but you get my drift…) Still, if you live uber-far from a library or yours is just teh suck, maybe it’s an idea for you.
February 10th, 2008 at 6:18 am
My sister’s house is “unincorporated”, so she does not get free membership at the nearest library. She would have to pay something like $400/year or something for the privilege. In her case, I’d say the above might be a good deal.
February 10th, 2008 at 6:44 am
Wha…?
So–Netflix for books? My husband and I are with you: Why? (You can probably guess that we’re huge library fans ourselves and have a great ILL system as well.) Our library has a great check-out time though with one month to return the books, so we always have our pile of books read and often return several times a month.
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February 10th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
For those of us that live in the middle of nowhere and have crappy library access this sounds wonderful. Our library does not allow you to check out new releases until they are at least 6 months old — and usually there is only 1 copy. Needless to say most books are out in paperback before you can even attempt to get them from the library.
Be grateful you have such a great library system nearby!
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February 10th, 2008 at 7:15 pm
I’m surprised you’re not jumping up and down squeeling with glee, actually!!
I’ve done booksfree.com on and off (taking breaks when I have less time to read!) for the past couple years. It’s the same kinda thing only a little cheaper…my plan is 4 out a time/unlimited per month/keep them as long as you want for about $15. And it is LOVE.
Now, I do love the library too, don’t get me wrong…we go there a lot! But the problem is that there are a heck of a lot of books that I want to read that simply aren’t at our libraries (there are two we frequent) or at any in our county library systems (and we’re registered for two!). I used to get quite frustrated checking the online card catalogs and then end up just breaking down and buying the darn books. But Booksfree has pretty much everything I want (although they only do paperback, so you have to wait a bit if it’s a hardcover first release). It’s much much cheaper to spend $15/month than to buy those non-library available books.
So anyways, I love it. Love, love, LOVE it.
February 10th, 2008 at 7:47 pm
Again, I must just really be spoiled. Our library system gets new books in rotation almost immediately. I’ve had to wait in a queue for a week or two to grab a new best seller. But other than that, we’ve been really lucky it seems. I guess that’s the first “positive” for this state that I’ve experience. lol (Just kidding. There are other positives. I think.)
February 10th, 2008 at 9:12 pm
Our library here in a town of 400,000 is frightful! I wanted to read Daisy Miller by Henry James. One of the most important authors of all time, a classic book.
They didn’t have a copy.
I wanted to read Ulysses by James Joyce. One copy that they couldn’t find.
I wanted to read East of Eden by Steinbeck because I had never read it. One copy they couldn’t find.
However they have NINE COPIES of every single Danielle Steele book ever written.
I am the type of person that would benefit from this service. I typically read about six books a month and trying to get them at the library here is almost impossible.
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February 11th, 2008 at 12:00 am
“However they have NINE COPIES of every single Danielle Steele book ever written”
LOL
That totally sounds like our library.
February 11th, 2008 at 7:31 am
Yeah, I’m wondering about that. I think the library can be a pain sometimes, but I’d rather be patient. Also — have you heard of BookMooch? It’s a good service and I’d say if you are reading 11 books at a time…then trading would be better.
I see that you read The Abstinence Teacher. I don’t think I saw your review — I’ll go back and check it out. I think you’d like The Birth House (while we’re on the book subject…)
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February 11th, 2008 at 7:34 am
Ah! There’s your review. I’m going to sign up for goodreads. I agree with your assessment of the ending, by the way.
Sara’s last blog post..Quips
February 11th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
Sara; I loved The Birth House. (Read it last year.) And Goodreads is gooooooood. I find lots of random books to add to my “to read” list that way! So I’m never left wondering, “What next?” lol