[nuisance26]

~I grew up loving what the library had to offer but in NJ, our county library system deteriorated significantly in the years following the introduction of computers and internet. Don't know if they ran out of money or if they decided nobody wanted actual books anymore. I sure did. The selection of books was terrible(even across the state where they could request to borrow), wait times for holds were insane(waited 6 months for George Bush's biography because they only had two copies for the county), website was dreadful, materials and funding were extremely limited and the service was terrible. I rarely went since they could never get what I wanted to read.
So before we moved to CO I looked up the library system site and was thrilled to see that I'd be able to borrow books on my Kindle. +1. Movies were current, plentiful and free. +1. The amount of Christian books available has blown me out of the water. +1. The website is easy to use and the hold system is excellent. +1. The system for borrowing and checkout and the service is so outstanding that my DH is using the library for the first time in his life. It's as easy as searching for what you want online, placing a hold and picking it up when it's ready. We can quickly check online to see where we are in the queue and guess when the materials will be ready for us. The library puts the hold materials aside in an accessible area marked with my name and it's all self check-out. This is perfect for anyone who is library-shy! Just Sunday DH put a hold on two new superhero movies and they were available to pick up on Tuesday afternoon. Since the library was closed Monday I'd say that was pretty fantastic.
So yeah, I am completely in love with the library again!~

 

[craftypam]

Always have loved the library. We first lived in a city with no library; then moved to a city that we are walking distance from the library. Now the city I moved from has the most fabulous library ever. We can borrow from them but their patrons are a priority. I can borrow from 3 different library systems and melcat. Love, love, love books and cannot wait for more to be available for kindle.

 

[Ramona]

Thank you for the post, you reminded me to order some large print editions for my sister.

Our library isn't large but it's a member of a large consortium, I put in requests for holds all the time.
I have a serious crush on my library ♥

 

[Maine Girl]

I am also a big fan of the library...I believe we have a good selection of books to choose from and I have used the State wide borrowing system. Not to mention magazines and DVD's I drive by a branch on my way home.

 

[mamamia]

I always loved the library too! Even the tiny one here seemed to have so much to offer because I can borrow from multiple systems as well. The children's summer program, that used to be awesome, has been cut to even less than half of what it was just a few years ago. It went from 8 weeks of a 5 days a week program, down to 4 weeks, of only 3 days. My kids are too big for it now, but I was still sad to see that yet again it's the children in the area that are being hurt by the budget cuts.

Glad you're enjoying your new state and library!

Theresa

 

[frugalfranny]

So yeah, I am completely in love with the library again!~

My library does it the same way..........for holds, for pick ups, etc. PLUS they have two shelves of adult reading material (toss aways) that is only 25 cents for paperbacks.......and 50 cents for hard backs, and will usually have a few mags. One shelf for children's books! I love my library too!

Plus.......and you might want to check YOUR library (lots of them do this), twice a year we have a library sale. Same prices as the discount shelves but just tables and tables of books.......one day only. I do volunteer work at my library. Love the job but not sure it is such a 'good thing' for me...........we also get first choice for books at the library sale..........:toothy: We get X number free for doing the sorting the day before, but most of us usually pay anyway. I sort and work the day of the sale..............have YET to come home empty handed!! :thud:

 

[frugalwarrior2]

18 yrs. ago our library was a new building w/ tattered books but thanks to donations,friends of the library sales and grants from foundations and DTE it is now ever better. They have a great Up to date DVD section and kids computer games section and great reading programs,a good teen club,book discussions and movies veiwing. A lot of the librarians are younger now and the atmosphere is lighter. The best feature is the interlending policy among several libraries. You can order on the computer and pick it up locally. Have to confess not up to date on the kindle downloading so that I am not sure of.

FF-Ds is one of 2 kids that tote out all the books for the sales. And back in storage for what ever the bulk buyers don't grab. They both do it all for $20. whichI think is dirt cheap for the 200 boxes they must carry. I laughed as the older people asked them to sort too last time and he did it but was peeved.lol

 

[Bernice]

I stopped buying books, CDs, DVDs many years ago. Until I got sick, I read 2-3 books a week my whole life, so I made the decision that since I never re-read, no more book buying. Copied CDs and books on CD into my iPod (send me to library jail, lol) because I drove all day for work. I so rarely re-watch a DVD, I only kept a precious few and have not bought in years. Our interlibrary loan is awesome, the waits are reasonable and a librarian will search other ILL systems if you are looking for a rare book. We have museum passes, fishing poles, tons of programs for adults and kids. A few years ago, they planned a huge expansion that would cost taxpayers roughly $1-2 a year and it didn't go through. Darn, I wanted an even more awesome library!

 

[MsMarieH]

Add me to the list of those that love my library. I use the interlibrary loan frequently, monitor my materials online, get books on cd for hubby to listen to on his long commute, and more. Plus be aware that many libraries have access to paid databases. Mine has a genealogy specialty (yeah me!) which includes a subscription to Ancestry.com and many of the other paid sites.

 

[Blissnsparkle]

That's so cool. I love my library.....which reminds me I have some books to drop off. LOL!

 

[Bernice]

Plus be aware that many libraries have access to paid databases. Mine has a genealogy specialty (yeah me!) which includes a subscription to Ancestry.com and many of the other paid sites.

and I can access them from home! amazing

 

[hikr00]

Add me too as a library lover! Ours is great. I love their selection of books and also I use the interlibrary loan a lot for books they do not have. We've gotten lots of DVDs there also and some CDs too. They have an app for overdrive media console which we can always use to get books as well. I love that we can access it online as well so I can check recommendations on Goodreads then zip over to the library site and see if they have the book (or if they can get it).

I need to go on Tuesday as a matter of fact

 

[FrugalMomof3]

I also love the library too, which is funny because today (Saturday 7/18/15) I went to the library right when it opened today to pick up "The Encyclopedia of Country Living" since I didn't want to buy it, lol (hence my post about chickens). Figured this book would give me some insight, especially with the trenendous 4-5 star reviews it received.

 

[Bernice]

I think I said this somewhere else, not 100% good memory right now, so feel free to skip. reading 2-3 books a week was my "thing", so I was at the library picking up interlibrary loans twice a week for I realize now, decades. When this illness began, last June, I could no longer read a book meaningfully or remember it from day to day. This May, I was so miserable, I needed to be able to read again, who cares if I forget it if I enjoyed it at the time? So back to the library. I am embarrassed by how I walk now, my plan was pick up a book and get out of there. But the librarian recognized me, a bunch of them came over, they were hugging me, one bluntly said, "we thought you died," lol. And it was ok in the end to be seen like I am and receive the goodwill of others. I briefly explained what happened, and that I desperately need my "read" back to be happy. They are keeping a list of books they loved that aren't overly complicated for me, and that is what makes the library my favorite place on Earth.

when my kids were little, constantly at library, reading books to or with them are some of my very best memories. I always told them, "we are going to the best place on Earth." As the years went by, they would say, "we know, we know, best place on Earth. mom, you are so weird."

 

[hikr00]

Aww Bernice, that's so sweet that they all remembered you and were so glad to see you. I love your library too!

I always took DD when she was little also. She loved it there. They had reading contests for the kids, books that you could check out that had stuffed animals or CDs / cassettes (dating myself there!) so she could listen to the story while she was falling asleep etc. Oh and videos. She loved checking the videos out too. I remember her being so little she had to stand on the stool to see up and over and librarian's desk to say her name. So cute. We've taken DGD there too for the story hour! It's been fun seeing her in what was her Mom's "turf" back in the day. Oh time goes so fast.

 

[renmerc446]

This reminds me to go to the local library more often. I haven't been as much since I started working again. My local library has regular Microsoft program classes (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) as well as other classes and museum passes. The county HQ library often has classes and group meetings that the one closest to me doesn't have and it's relatively close and easy to get to.

There is one library close by that's not part of the county system that's also very good. Now that I work where I do, I can get a library card there as well since part of my local taxes pay into that library. They do allow for people who don't live in the township to purchase a library card but now I don't have to. Yay. It's a very good library with a lot of books, classes and other events and access to different databanks so it would've been worth paying into if I hadn't been unemployed at the time. This library was also open right after a hurricane knocked out power to the area for the better part of a week. They let people come in and charge their phones and computers.

 

[khaski]

We live in NH, just over the MA line, and use a MA library. We aren't charged a fee for this as hubby works in MA (and therefore pays MA state income tax, so we're already contributing to the library system and get a free card)! Our own town library is tiny, dirty and horribly out-of-date due to lack of funding while 'ours' in MA is new, bright, huge, and very modern. We never rent movies anymore- they all come from the library for FREE. Never mind all of the books we get! They also have a relatively new program where you can get ebooks and magazines on your Kindle. I won't buy magazines, but reading them for free on my Kindle is a new guilty pleasure. I often order what we want through my account online, and hubby drops by on his way home from work once a week to exchange things. We also sometimes take advantage of their museum/activity passes, which saves us a bundle. A few of the librarians like to tease us about what we order. "I like that this (holds up gory zombie novel) goes home with this (holds up 'Frozen' book). Yeah, that's us! Hubby has become well-known enough that he and the librarians will often trade recommendations! I can't even wrap my head around how much we save on entertainment and media by utilizing the library as we do.

Since summer's here, I've been taking the kids in once a week or so to poke around. Bonus- the woodchuck that lives just outside the children's room can be seen with this year's baby! The kids will often drop their 'give' money into the donation box in the children's room to purchase new items.