tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7894299613938319589.post2986707163999347186..comments2023-06-03T06:21:09.910-07:00Comments on Out of Coffee, Out of Mind: Bookish Discussion #4 // Libraries vs. OwnershipLiz Brookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15823595869843889438noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7894299613938319589.post-77225276055464201982016-06-09T08:22:42.174-07:002016-06-09T08:22:42.174-07:00Welcome! Better late than never. :P *gives you cof...Welcome! Better late than never. :P *gives you coffee beans* Aww, I'm so glad you loved them! That's really sweet of you. You're so welcome! *showers you with more coffee beans* It's so nice to know that I'm not the only one who has this relationship with book covers! It does make the reading experience rich, does it not? And you said everything so well! I agree with you on all your points. *nods* I have about 600 ebooks, and I forget most of them, which is sad because then I don't read them as much as I could. :D<br /><br />No need to apologize! I absolutely love long comments! :D And you're totally welcome! Thank you for being so sweet. :D<br /><br />Thanks for commenting! :) Liz Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15823595869843889438noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7894299613938319589.post-57645499966260387692016-06-09T08:18:27.065-07:002016-06-09T08:18:27.065-07:00I'm glad that libraries are perfect for you, b...I'm glad that libraries are perfect for you, because it would be sad if libraries were only a second option for the majority of the population. I do think libraries are wonderful, because not everyone wants to buy books, and not everyone can buy books. *nods* I, too, am not filthy rich, so I still have to use the library half the time. Grr, illegally sharing eBooks bothers me so much. Like, library or buy, honey, it's not that hard. Just choose one. Because at least the library pays for the copies it lends out, so at least the author gets a little kickback. <br /><br />Thanks for commenting! :) Liz Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15823595869843889438noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7894299613938319589.post-34712453644981360692016-06-09T08:15:53.235-07:002016-06-09T08:15:53.235-07:00It was really fun to write about. :) I think that&...It was really fun to write about. :) I think that's the balance that I hope to strike, as a general rule, because I don't want to spend money on books I'll regret. Supporting authors is one of my favorite things. :) <br /><br />Thanks for commenting! :) Liz Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15823595869843889438noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7894299613938319589.post-13193386258902704022016-06-09T08:14:56.525-07:002016-06-09T08:14:56.525-07:00I can totally understand that. When I was growing ...I can totally understand that. When I was growing up, we either bought them at the occasional used book sale or online, or we borrowed them, since we had no brick and mortar stores nearby. It was always a treat when we went on road trips and stopped at physical bookstores. I don't mind buying my books online, usually, because the prices are better, but I also am getting a little leery because more and more of my books have been arriving dinged up to varying degrees, and it would be nicer to be able to buy a new book that's not already dinged up by shipping and packing and whatnot. <br />I do have that trouble sometimes, mainly because I panic about the due date and end up prioritizing that over my own books. But it also makes me feel trapped and unsettled, and I don't like it, so I'm trying to limit my library book pile so it doesn't detract from my reading experience by taking over. <br />There's a coffee shop about twenty minutes away from where I live, and it has a rack of free books. My sister has grabbed something for me from there, and eventually I want to go through it myself. *nods* But hey, no need to feel guilt. You just have many adventures stored up for a rainy day. And if the apocalypse happens, you will still have new reading material, even if the library is overrun with zombie aliens. <br />I'm glad you enjoyed it! (And also, thank you for being understanding, because I know that I am quirky. :P) <br /><br />Thanks for commenting! :) Liz Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15823595869843889438noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7894299613938319589.post-81497191633749170082016-06-09T08:09:17.751-07:002016-06-09T08:09:17.751-07:00I would too. Hopefully, when I'm fat and old, ...I would too. Hopefully, when I'm fat and old, I will have managed to accumulate a reasonably sizable one. It is nice to be able to try books without the monetary commitment, even if it doesn't always make me a happy camper. :P I get that feeling when I walk into bookstores, with the added benefit of realizing that, if I want to keep some of the books there, I can just hand over a few pieces of paper and keep the books forever. And I think I need to get used to libraries more. I've had a few bad experiences with them that kind of soured them for me, but hopefully time will change that.<br /><br />Same here. It's so frustrating to have to wait behind a long line of others and then to have to rush to finish because there's a long line waiting after you. And I like to have my books around me so I can be reminded of them every day. :P <br /><br />Thanks for commenting! :) Liz Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15823595869843889438noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7894299613938319589.post-46663633271817035942016-06-09T08:05:44.056-07:002016-06-09T08:05:44.056-07:00I'm glad you understand. *nods* I'm quirky...I'm glad you understand. *nods* I'm quirky, I know, and probably a bit unhinged. I think I might actually have OCD? But hey, I've learned what works for me and what doesn't always, so that's good. :) <br /><br />Same here! If I can't be friends with them, at least I want my purchases to fund their morning coffee, or something like that. :P I try to strike a balance, because I only have so much book-buying money every now and then. So when I can library, it's good to make myself do that, because I have libraried some books I also bought and been really glad I didn't waste money on them. But then it also tortures me if I really love the book and have to give it back. And of course, there are some authors that are just auto-buy authors, no questions asked. :P (I KNOW RIGHT? I'M SO EXCITED. A;DFJALSKDFJA;LSDFJ.) <br /><br />Thanks for commenting! :) Liz Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15823595869843889438noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7894299613938319589.post-52214614293238872912016-06-09T08:02:35.866-07:002016-06-09T08:02:35.866-07:00It can be a little stressful. And makes me a littl...It can be a little stressful. And makes me a little panicky when a book is due, and unrenewable, and I'm only fifty pages in. I had to delete everything from my schedule one day to finish a really long book that was due because I wasn't going to subject myself to the torment of leaving it unfinished for the next five months or so. And also, I am a bit of a germaphobe, so I don't particularly like touching books that could have been touched by anything. Since the ones at my library have plastic coverings on them, sometimes I break and disinfect them, but they still feel dirty to my mind. <br /><br />I probably spend far too much time imagining suddenly becoming rich and buying all the books. :P <br /><br />Thank you for the tag! :) And thank you for commenting! :) Liz Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15823595869843889438noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7894299613938319589.post-16432892337111267922016-06-09T07:59:36.503-07:002016-06-09T07:59:36.503-07:00I have been getting into my library a bit more, be...I have been getting into my library a bit more, because the system is huge and I can request just about anything, but my Kindle is similarly helpful. (For instance, I bought Matched on Kindle for 1.99 and so wasn't too mad when I didn't like the book.) But if I especially love a book, whether I have purchased it on Kindle or merely borrowed it, I will eventually want to buy a copy, as my way of thanking the author for writing the book. I don't always have the funds for it, but when I do, it brings me joy. <br /><br />I don't buy as many used books anymore, but I still do to an extent (I've acquired about twenty this year, so far). And it is a little freeing pay fifty cents on a used book I am unsure about with the understanding that, jf I love it, I can go ahead and buy it new, and if I hate it, then I've dodged a bullet. <br /><br />I am teaching myself to make friends with the library again. I have had a couple bad experiences with libraries, and I think that has colored them for me a little. But I am slowly coming to terms with them again. <br /><br />No worries. I love reading your comments, and long comments are the best. :) Thank you! :) <br /><br />Thanks for commenting! :) Liz Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15823595869843889438noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7894299613938319589.post-29143858315046190372016-04-09T13:12:34.094-07:002016-04-09T13:12:34.094-07:00I came in late to the discussion because I only ju...I came in late to the discussion because I only just found this series of posts from Cait, but I want to say that I LOVE these four posts of yours and that you really poured your soul in it and I feel privileged to experience that glimpse -- thank you for these beautiful posts! A lot of these thoughts I think I've felt at various levels myself, but never seen expressed in print, so these are wonderful! ^_^ I think that people should definitely be allowed to do what they want in terms of buying versus librarying and gorgeous covers etc. We're all different and no one should judge anyone else for that! I agree with you in so many ways -- I too sort of put the "feel" of the cover into the story I read, so that I associate them together, especially the overall color-scheme becomes a sort of representation of the story within; and I too love new pristine books (though more often than not I do end up buying used books at library-sales simply because I don't have a job right now and can't afford books otherwise, but whenever I DO buy a new book it gives me such joy!); and I too do tend to prefer to buy books with pretty covers when I can, though sometimes blurbs play an equal part in my decision to read a book (and sometimes the blurb is entirely misleading as well, just like the cover can be--but that's another discussion!). It's so true that we can't read all the books of ever, so having a cover or whatever to "judge" by helps, and also like you said in the one post, it can be an indicator if the publisher/author (in the case of self-pubbed books) didn't put the effort into a good cover then that might be an indication of a less-good book. And I feel the same way about books at libraries, not owning them!! So this post was amazing. I don't think I feel it quite to the extent that you do, but it is sort of like I can forget them easier (like ebooks...) and that they're not MINE and... yes. Though I still love libraries, especially for books I'm not sure if I'll like, and because again, the money issue. ;) And it's so good to support authors by actually buying their books, too, when we are able to!<br /><br />Anyways, that got long and rambly because it's sort of a response to all four posts at once... sorry about that. But I just wanted to say I think these were really good posts, so thanks for them! :)Deborah O'Carrollhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05969896655321575875noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7894299613938319589.post-86308861326508948042016-04-08T20:33:09.885-07:002016-04-08T20:33:09.885-07:00I am a library girl, mostly... I mean, I can get w...I am a library girl, mostly... I mean, I can get wanting to cherish amazing books, in which case heck yes I will buy them, but in general most books I'm going to pick up aren't going to be that good, and I don't want to waste the shelf space to maintain them when there are books out there I'd rather own, even if I haven't read them yet. And also it's cheaper from the library and I am poor. That kind of thing, I guess. Still, I do think it is important to support writers (and ultimate shame to people who illegally share eBooks). They don't make a lot of money, so yeah. They do need it.Heatherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16797485444727976121noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7894299613938319589.post-63921036657885220222016-04-04T10:50:47.613-07:002016-04-04T10:50:47.613-07:00This is a neat discussion! I usually library books...This is a neat discussion! I usually library books when I'm unsure if I'll like them and buy the ones I'm 80% + sure I am going to like. Since I want to be an author, I want to support authors. XD<br /><br />storitorigrace.blogspot.comVictoria Grace Howellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01849013182543674707noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7894299613938319589.post-77005738883325396762016-04-01T20:36:49.070-07:002016-04-01T20:36:49.070-07:00I definitely borrow more than I buy. In the past f...I definitely borrow more than I buy. In the past five years, my preferences have become even more pronounced, as we moved to a city with a wonderful library and our nearby Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million went out of business. I do love supporting authors and the publishing business, but books tend to be way overpriced. Also, I dislike ordering books online. Part of the fun in getting a new book is going to the book store and browsing, touching all the crisp, new covers and maybe picking up a notebook (or two). So I probably buy a book every one to two months. In contrast, I visit the library regularly and always have items checked out. I actually like when books are a bit worn- it shows that they've been read and loved before, and it feels like I'm sharing in something that connects us as readers. This is why half of my books are used, and why library books appeal to me so much.<br />It has gotten to the point where, even when I do buy books, I don't read them because I want to read my library books. This may be my biggest reason for not buying books. A due date is like a deadline for me, and although it can be stressful at times, it pushes me to make time for reading during my week. <br />There's a free table at my library, and every time I go, I scan it for any interesting titles or ones that I've read before. I love used books, and I tend to splurge when I go to my local used book store, so my book collection continues to expand. Unread tomes crowd my shelves, and sometimes their stares fill me with guilt as I lie in bed. Do I have any right to keep bringing home books that will remain unread for who knows how long?<br />I think it's very interesting that your reading experience is worse when you know the book will have to be returned. That's never been the case for me, but I can imagine how it would feel, especially when you just love the story and pour your soul into it. This post was excellent, and I (obviously) love the topic! Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17694385895383524602noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7894299613938319589.post-22898630690575339262016-04-01T10:54:05.348-07:002016-04-01T10:54:05.348-07:00I'd love to have a big book collection, but I ...I'd love to have a big book collection, but I do get most of my books from libraries. I like that I can try a new book I'm not sure whether I'll like without having to decide whether to pay $20 for it. I like that I can read a LOT more than I would if I were buying all of my books because I don't have to worry about the cost. I also just love libraries in general. There's something about walking in to a library and knowing that you're SURROUNDED by books and that you can stay as long as you want and you're not expected to spend money. (I'm just realizing that a lot of what I'm saying is about money - but that's one of the big differences!)<br /><br />I do have a pretty big book collection. I tend to buy books in series that I'm already reading and books that I got from the library and really liked. And I definitely see a lot of the advantages of owning books. Especially not having to wait to read them after they're released - that's probably my least favorite part of libraries, and it's usually when I just get impatient and go out and buy the book anyway.Clarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08014163537005483710noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7894299613938319589.post-58670715385166332882016-04-01T09:39:30.385-07:002016-04-01T09:39:30.385-07:00I kind of understand what you're saying about ...I kind of understand what you're saying about not being completely committed to a story because you can't own the book. I don't necessarily think that way, but I think I see where you're coming from. Especially since you reread often. <br /><br />I really like supporting my favorite authors! But at the same time, if I don't see myself rereading a book, or if I'm not sure if I'll like it, I usually try to library it first. But then there are series or authors that I will automatically buy. Like The Maze Runner. I just got the trilogy and prequel recently; I was so excited! And I really want to collect all of Marissa Meyer's books. I only have Winter and Stars Above so far. (I recently read that she's working on a superhero trilogy? Which sounds stupendous!)<br /><br />a.n.g.https://www.blogger.com/profile/03667996517318905980noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7894299613938319589.post-86179189739193538502016-03-31T11:06:03.522-07:002016-03-31T11:06:03.522-07:00I have never really divulged myself in the world o...I have never really divulged myself in the world of libraries: the whole dimension of due-dates, late fees and other peoples' stained and crippled books scares me. I think they're a really great concept, don't get me wrong - FREE BOOKS?! - but I just prefer to have my own copy to play around with if and when it suits me. The points you raised are all super good! I especially revel in the fact that buying a copy of a book can definitely aid amassing sales - every little helps and and all that!<br /><br />That being said, man do I wish I have the money to be able to buy books more frequently!!<br /><br />By the way, I tagged you in the "Dragon Loyalty Award" if you wish to take part. Check it out if you want - hope you can give it a go; would love to respond to your facts!!<br /><br />https://introtoblurb.wordpress.com/2016/03/30/the-dragon-loyalty-award/<br /><br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10331792752895326419noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7894299613938319589.post-19170309572030325132016-03-31T05:23:44.559-07:002016-03-31T05:23:44.559-07:00I really enjoy libraries as a way to try out new b...I really enjoy libraries as a way to try out new books (although, now that I have a Kindle, I tend to give authors a try on there if their books are cheap.) However, I do try to purchase at least some books from each author I read from a first-hand bookstore or on my Kindle. At this point, I have enough funds to do that on a somewhat frequent basis and I feel better for supporting the author. <br /><br />I also buy a fair amount of used books, as we have two really nice used book stores near my college. It's just more economical for me as someone who can't buy new books ALL the time. <br /><br />I think libraries are a great thing and I wish I could support mine back home a bit more. It's also one of the first things I look for when I go through a new town (I've decided that wherever I live after college ought to have a nice bookstore and a nice library). <br /><br />Sorry for the long rant. Good post, though!R.M. Lutzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07225038858127086583noreply@blogger.com