Do you buy books new or borrow from the library?

[Thumper_Man]

DW is the avid reader in our house. I bought her an eReader for Christmas a couple of years back. She loves it and buys most of the books she wants online. She will occasionally buy an actual book if it is cheaper to buy than buying it online. She also does a book swap at her work as well.

As for me, I don't read that much. An occasional book here and there. Maybe 1 or 2 a year at the most. If there is a book I'm really interested in, I will go buy it from a book store. Our Borders is going out of business also, so DW and I recently got a good deal on some books we've been wanting. Got a great deal on the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2011. So this is the next book I'll be reading.

Neither one of us goes to the library. We never really have time to go.

 

[benolathe]

Big user of our library. I read a lot, and would never want to spend that much money on something that is basically a one-time use for me. Once I read a book, I am not going to re-read it. (There have been a few occasions, but very rare.) And the more important thing to me is the SPACE that all those books would take up if I bought them and then had to keep them somewhere. Certainly don't want to look like a book 'hoarder'!

Our local library is great - can go online and reserve books at anytime. They are then delivered to the nearest branch to me and I receive an email when they are ready to be picked up. Have also started borrowing audio books on CD and listen whenever I am alone in the car (on way to work, errands, etc). And if there is a movie that I would like to see, I can request the DVD. Our library seems to get movies and new books very quickly. Sometimes I am on the "hold" list for quite a while, but I am patient and can wait. There are always other books that I can be reading while waiting for my turn for the 'hold' items.

 

[bettymae1121]

Both. If it's a book I know I'll read more than once then I'll usually buy it. Or I'll read it from the library and like it so much I'll buy it so I'll have it on hand to read whenever. I don't bother with videos though, I'm too lazy and just order from Netflix.

Although I tried to be budget minded and wanted to get the Unofficial WDW 2011 guide from the library and they didn't have it, so I had to order it from Amazon. Only $15 though and now I have it on hand from now until the trip in May if I need to refer to something.

 

[disneychrista]

Library...my daughter is a reader, I would go broke if we bought books for her all the time. Plus, it seemed anytime I bought a book, she wouldn't read it, but she would read the books from the library.

 

[Leshaface]

All Library, All the time!

Unless it's Disney related, then I purchase!

 

[sparkyboy]

dh and I are both avid readers but use the library. Once in a while he might purchase a book at garage sale but our public library has good selection of books and DVDs.

 

[fakereadhed]

Unless it's on someone's gift list, we never buy books from the store. We go to the library for books and children's programs for DS6. I get too many mag subscriptions free to count(cooking light, self, allure, lucky, family fun, etc). As far as books go, there are enough decent free books to keep me occupied on my iPod with the Kindle app. I'm an avid reader and I've got enough stuff on there to keep me busy for over 6 months!

 

[MouseloverJD]

I'm a reader too. I read a lot of books. I have brought books if given a gift card to the bookstore or if I'm on vacation and run out of books to read. Haven't bought a book in years. I love the library system in New York, its very convenient. I use two different library branches - one close to my job and the other that's close to my house. Both have an online reservation system so I can reserve new books and movies. The library has late hours and some are open on weekends.

I might try e-books b/c finally upgraded to iphone but love the feeling of a regular paper book. Love having it in my hands, manually turning the pages, etc. I have always enjoyed books and am grateful for libraries.

 

[leight]

80% of the time it is the library-I love to reserve the books then pick them up when they are available.- Although being # 113 on hold for the new Iris Johansen book in april is probably going to be a problem for me- I may look to get a target gift card from my credit card rewards to put towards that! ALso, my library has a whole room of donated books that are sold cheap ($0.50 paperbacks and $1 hardcover.) so I always get some incase I am between a book and waiting on a reserve. That way I can just go to the garage -get a book and read vs running to the store and spending $7.50 on a book. I re-donate the books when I am done. Oh, and my subdivision's community center also has a book exchange shelf and I've swapped books there too!

DD#1 loves books and likes to own them so she gets lots of gift cards and I've taught her to print the 20-40% coupons from the book store to put towards a coveted book.Other wise she uses the library too. I also bought her about 20 books from her wish list at xmas on bookcloseouts- they are sometimes damaged-torn cover etc but I rarely pay more than $3 for them and I spent less than $38 for those 20 books delivered in december. I consider that well worth it.

DD#2 gets a lot of hand me down series or library books but since she is still in elementary she gets the montly scholastic. I buy the 1/2 price coupon booklets at the beginning of the year and she can get one each month(book up to $4 ) plus one of the $1 bargain books. Whatever she doesn't like will get donated to the school library at year end.

 

[ceecee]

I read close to 100 books a year and rarely, if ever buy one. I have bought a paperback for vacation once, but usually I get all my books from the library, even the e-books. I got a Nook for Christmas, but isn't the same. There's nothing like getting a new book and the smell of it! I reserve books before the library has them out so I get them sooner.

 

[powellrj]

I use to be a huge library user, but to be honest, I just don't like going anymore. Its too, I don't know the word. It use to be a nice quiet place to go and spend the day, but now its like going to a bus station. Its loud and full of people talking on cell phones and babies crying. People will congregate in front and smoke and you have to walk through it.

I have an ipod and an ipad so now I just borrow ebooks and audio books online and I rarely go to the library anymore.

 

[dumbocutie]

Use our public library. You can reserve books on line pop in and do self check
out. I am in and out quickly. Also use them for dvd's as well.

If I really want a book to keep will try to find a used copy on amazon or ebay. It saves hundreds of dollars a year.

 

[Kathi OD]

For personal use, I can't remember the last time I purchased a book. There are very few books that I'll read twice, so I have a love affair with the library.

 

[notsosnowwhite]

I feel so fortunate that we have an outstanding library system. We have a great "express" section with best sellers and it's been a very long time since I've had to wait for a newly released title that I want to read. I love that we now have free digital files (e-books, music files, etc) and even have these cute little players in the kids departments - like individual little ipods with books preloaded. I love buying books, but with an outstanding library system there isn't a need. I find I only buy my absolute favorites that I will read over and over.

 

[QVCshopper]

I love our library and go there often to get books, attend storytime, etc. However, I also buy used books either 1) from the library (they only change 25 cents for kids books, 50 cents for movies, and 50 cents for CDs) or 2) from the Goodwill. I like having my own kids books at our house--not too many of course, but they are helpful so I don't have to worry about returning, fines, etc. When we get too many, they go back to the library donations to resell or to the YMCA. My DH also has a Nook, so he's been reading books that way.

I seldom buy new books. Honestly, the ones at the library are in such good shape, I don't see why I should spend more.

 

[Maybelle]

I actually buy a lot of used books from our local libraries, as they always have book sales going on. Although I love to read, I just don't have enough time to finish books quickly enough to borrow them and get them back on time, even with renewals.

 

[Carlyzmom]

I do neither. I buy used (cheap) books on eBay's Half dot com. LOVE it!

 

[LightBurnsBlue]

I used to go to the library twice a month--then my fiance got me a Kindle for Christmas. Haven't been back since!!!

 

[homedad]

both, if its something that cannot wait i'll buy it, most other things i get from our local library

 

[ChisJo]

I love my library...I go twice a week. I get all the books I want, and they have all the movies I want as well. I haven't paid to rent a movie for years. I love the feel of a book, but I also download books sometimes to an app on my ipod. I pay $6/year for my membership to the library, and read 2 books/week. We also rent 3-5 movies/week from the library. If the library doesn't have a book or movie that I really want, they will order it for me. The library has everything I need...the library that I go to even has board games! It also has a coffee shop in it so you can make an afternoon with magazines and newspapers. Its awesome, and incredibly budget-friendly.

I haven't bought a book for years. They are incredibly over-priced, and I rarely read a book more than once. If I do want to read a book more than once, I will buy it second hand, but that doesn't happen very often. I have an app on my ipod that I can get a bunch of free books that will keep me entertained for a long time too.