Question for all you avid readers out there?

[deanainnc]

Do you buy your books or use the library?

If you read alot, how much do you spent on books in a month if you buy? Why do you choice to buy over borrowing from the library.

I personnaly use the library. I only read a book once and read to many books for pleasure to justify paying $20 bucks a book.

What does everyone else do?

 

[dawnball]

I do a mix. I get a lot of books from the library, but I also buy ebooks from baen books via their webscriptions program. With webscriptions I can get 6 ebooks for $15 and the authors get a larger royalty since there are much lower distribution costs. I don't get a webscription every month though, I buy 3-4 webscriptions a year, and I usually try to buy them early in the cycle. That way I get more reading time out of each set. I usually end up buying 2-10 used books a year too because my library doesn't have the book I want to read and I can't get it more cheaply as an ebook.

 

[sl_underwood]

I do both as well, plus I use book mooch and trade books with others. We have a great thrift store here in my town where you can buy books, many times brand new books for less than $1.00, our library is not so great but can inter library loan books if I am willing to wait 3+ months for the book.

 

[HM]

I do both. Lately I've been spending more at the bookstore though. One thing is that I share my books with one of my sisters. We both enjoy a lot of the same reading, so more than one person will read what I buy. She does the same for me.

 

[ohiominnie]

Have you heard of this place?

http://www.paperbackswap.com/

I don't use them, but I have friends who do and they seem to like the system.

 

[Disneefun]

Mostly I use the library. I read way too much to buy everything and my tastes range all over the place -- I find stuff I didn't even know I wanted to read. our library is great and has or can get most everything I want. However, there are a very few authors whose work I love and know I will read over and over, so I will buy those books. Although I usually wait for the paperback or the local library book sale to pick up a copy for cheap.

I do love our library book sale, though. Once a year the county system cleans house and sells paperbacks for $1 and hardcovers for $4 (prices go down throughout the weekend, too so by Sunday they're giving you all you can cram in a box for $5). Not all books are library books -- many are donations that are in like new condition. Someone bought it, read it once and donated it and the library sells it. So I can collect my favorite authors for very little money there and usually get books in great condition. I have also been known to buy a few books there to salt away in the event of an illness or snowstorm or some other time when I just can't get to the library. It's like an emergency stash. I should put it behind glass with a sign "In case of emergency, break glass."

Otherwise there are some reference books I need for work that I will buy at full price if I have to out of necessity, but those become tax deductions at the end of the year.

 

[nzdisneymom]

We have so many unread books at home that it is a joke. About two years ago I finally moved them out of the bedroom and into the garage (stored in nine 32-qt containers with newspaper to protect them - they are holding up well in heat and cold). Most of the books are ones DH bought either at Sam's Club (less than $5 each) or at Goodwill (25 cents each) or were given to us as pass-alongs. Although I've noticed that the amount of books that won't fit on the shelves in the house are starting to pile up again.

However, what we're reading now are mostly books from the library. Our library has a great online system where you can request specific books and have them delivered to whatever branch you want to pick them up from. We go in once a week to pick up / drop off, and DH usually picks up something from the shelf while we're there.

Another way we get books is through www.bookcrossing.com -- in my office building there is at least one other Bookcrosser - she and I often exchange books without ever meeting.

There is also one book exchange shop that I've been in but haven't used - she'll buy your used books and you get credits that you can use in the store toward other books.

We will occasionally buy a new book if it's one that we know we will both read and will pass on - and we know we won't get it from the library when we want it (like a Clive Cussler my DH wanted to read at the beach over the holidays).

 

[JerJan]

I use paperbackswap.com, it's FREE and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!!! you only pay shipping for books that you send out (media mail $1.59) and the books you choose to have sent to you don't cost you a thing you use your credits for books that you have mailed out!!!!

 

[ZanneMarie]

I never buy new books unless on vacation and I run out of reading material. I do occasionally get books from the library although I tend to turn them in late so I don't like that the best. My favorite way to get books is buy them for 50¢ at garage sales in the summer and stock up or go to my local librarys used book sale that happens once a month. I usually only make it to 2 or so of the sales a year but if you shop in the last half hour you can buy a grocery sack of books for $3.00. I only end up investing 10-15 dollars a year on books and then I can resell them for 50¢ a book at my annual garage sale. I am an avid reader and usually read 1-2 books a week when time permits.

 

[writersblock42]

I do a combination of a lot of things. Actually to be honest, I don't use the library that much. My dad loans books to me all the time and I get gift certificates and books for Christmas. I also go through piles at our school library that are free to a good home. I also go to yard sales, and library books. Recently at a library books sale I purchased a book that was over 100 years old and my husband said that I got ripped off-I bought it for less than a buck. There are so many ways to get books. The only books that are hard to get are text books, current travel books and current bestsellers. But you can already go to half.com and purchase the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney for 2007 for about $5.

 

[PatriciaH]

We use the library a lot mostly ordering from the computer to have things shipped here. Our library is new and tiny. They are renting a space until the county decides if we get to build our own. We had a great library in MA and I miss it. DH worked there for 10 years. Their book sales were wonderful. I do buy the Disney books I want to save and look at again and again. I have also been able to get a lot of awesome autographs on my Disney books (Joe Rhode, Dave Smith, Jason Surrell, etc.)

 

[Darcy03231]

I read a lot and tend to buy mine at yard sales, flea markets and second hand stores. I stock up during the spring, summer and fall. We also have a used book store in town if I run out of reading material and get desperate. I rarely buy new books at the book store and really don't use our library at all.

 

[rt2dz]

I tend to mainly buy my books. DH uses the library. Our kids do both. But, both the kids and I tend to re-read many of the books. I might wait a few years before re-reading, but I still do it. I also buy used books a lot (library books from their fundraiser, 1/2 price book store, used book store) and buy onsale. We probably spend $100 books per month at the most, and as little as $30 per month. Books that were just really bad get sold to used book stores.

 

[rie'smom]

Our library is pretty pitiful. The parish is building a beautiful new one though and I'm hoping that we get tons of good books. I read from 5 -12 books a week,sometimes more and it's a very expensive habit!

 

[MEM]

We use the library for all books except Harry Potter. I love reserving books through our inter-library loan service. With over 100 libraries in the network, I never have to wait long for even a brand new book or DVD. The book is delivered to my local branch and I get a phone call telling me its in.

Contrast my style with that of one of my S-I-L. She will pay full price in hardback for a book she will read once and then donate. When I suggested that she could save her $25+ each time and reserve the book from the library, she lectured me on the value of her time.

 

[southernbohemian]

We have Half-Priced Books here and I tend to get my books from them. I read a lot of novels (mostly classics) and history, and I like to keep them. Every once in a while I bring HPB a box to unload, but you get hardly anything for them, so I'm looking into PaperbackSwap.com now. My friends and I loan each other lots, so that helps. I tried using the library, but I always check out WAY too many books and run up late fees, then end up buying the books anyway if I liked them, so it was kind of a bust. Need to check out those library sales though...

 

[Disney Ella]

I use the library. I usually read four or five books per week and that would get expensive if I bought them. I just threw out a lot of books that I haven't touched in years. I rarely read books twice and they just take up a lot of space in the bookcase.

 

[Crazy Hakim]

I hardly ever pay Full Price for a book (aside Harry Potter which I have to get Issue Day). If an author I read has a new novel, I immediately put it on my Amazon.com Wish List and then I just sit and wait. Usually, within a few months you can pick it up for a fraction of the cost.
If it's an older book, I look on Amazon but don't always select the paperback, I cannot tell you how many times I was able to get the Hardcover for less than the paperback. My son wanted a Lance Armstrong Book for Christmas, and I found it for $0.01, new, Hardcover on Amazon.com.
One more thing, right now I am reading John Irving (loved his part of the Harry, Carrie & Garp Show at Radio City last year) and I bought a mixed lot of Irving books on ebay for just a couple of dollars.

 

[ckoncurat]

I use the library 99% of the time. I get reccomendations for books from Amazon.com, based on books I've rated. Then I reserve them online from the library. and pick them up at the drive through. I only buy a book if I have loved it for a long, long time or if I expect to mark it up (like a disney guidebook).

 

[MinMouse]

WE love love love our library! They have a great computerized system . . .we request what we want from home, they call when they are in and we pick them up. We almost always have a stack at the library. DH & DD12 (a voracious reader) went to pick up a book that had come in for her last night. . . they were no sooner home than the library called again saying another book she requested was in! Glad the library is not far away! We do buy some books for the kids from scholastic at school or book fair. Kind of view those as a donation to the classroom/school, though. As for me and DH we usually just wait for it to come in at the library.