The Public Library

[rogwar]

Have been re-discovering the public library lately. We only live about 5 minutes from one. Sure is the best deal in town. It's interesting that folks I chatted with at work and other places never use their public library. I travel a lot for work and like to read during trips. I got tired of buying books, even used ones, as well as paying the outrageous prices at the airport.

Anyway I probably never would have come across this book if I had not been browsing at the library recently...

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein. Excellent book for anyone by the way and well worth reading.

Plus one cool thing is that most libraries have an online catalog so you can browse or even hold from home.

[Halo]

Libraries are a tremendous bargain as well as a good place to meet interesting people.  We used to buy way too many books and magazines, enjoy reading them, and then admire our readings in bookcase clutter like hunters' trophies on walls

Finally we wised up and recycled our purchases, donating something like 30 boxes of books to Friends of the Library.  Now we more than get our taxpayers' money's worth out of the county libraries, and our house no longer looks like a small town museum. 

No joke, share your old books before they start smelling.  I couldn't figure out what a musty odor was in our den until I got rid of books that ranged up to 50 years old.  Especially paperbacks, textbooks, and coffeetable books, time to let others enjoy them instead of hoarding.

I read most of them, thought I would reread some but never did, and had some I planned to read but never did.  Purge purge purge. 

Granted, a major reason I got so generous is the internet.  Don't have to save so many print references any more with so much information now on line.   

[batch]

I still like to purchase books and throw them away when Im done.......... doing my part to prevent global cooling

[TEShaw]

I enjoy public libraries as well.

Great place to find out-of-print books about aviation.

Especially World War I memoirs.."The Wind in the Wires", "Bristol Fighter 4615", etc.  Or all the Derick Robinson stuff:
"Piece of Cake", "Goshawk Squadron", "Damned Good Show", "A Good Clean Fight", etc. Look them up!

Mind you, in the current public discourse, public libraries in the United States would be described as socialist institutions.
(Although able to co-exist with private book-sellers even while letting people have books for free at the public expense. Funny, I doubt any public library put a private bookstore out of business.)

Just saying.

[rogwar]

If you liked the series Jericho you might like this...just came across it the other day.

One Second After by William R. Forstchen

[Bodhi]

If you liked the series Jericho you might like this...just came across it the other day.

One Second After by William R. Forstchen

Very interesting book, with a quasi possible scenario.