Thursday, November 13, 2008

Booking Through Thursday


Today's question is:

I’ve asked, in the past, about whether you more often buy your books, or get them from libraries. What I want to know today, is, WHY BUY?

Even if you are a die-hard fan of the public library system, I’m betting you have at least ONE permanent resident of your bookshelves in your house. I’m betting that no real book-lover can go through life without owning at least one book. So … why that one? What made you buy the books that you actually own, even though your usual preference is to borrow and return them?

If you usually buy your books, tell me why. Why buy instead of borrow? Why shell out your hard-earned dollars for something you could get for free?


I'm going to be totally honest here - I think I might be addicted to buying books. I love my library - I have a great branch about 5 minutes away from my house, and since all the brances in my city are linked, I can get almost any book I want to read within about 2 days. There is no reason I would ever have to buy a book - and yet I do, with some sort of strange compulsion. I run to the mailbox every day to see if there are any books in it. If I go too long without receiving one, I start to feel sad. I visit bookstores, and CAN'T leave without buying something. I almost feel like I NEED to buy that next book. Now, I do NOT need to buy another book - it will take me years - literally - to get through the backlog at my house. But there is nothing that makes me feel good in quite the same way as a new book. I'll admit it - I'm an addict. But I love my gigantic library, and don't think I'd have it any other way.


Stop by and read other responses, or post one of your own, at the Booking Through Thursday website.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm with you! Plus it feels so good to support authors and publishers.

Anonymous said...

I feel the same way!

We use our public library A LOT! But our house is also filled with books that we own.

As I wrote in my own post, books are my vice!

Sunny said...

It sure is addicting!! It's so hard to leave a bookstore empty-handed!

Michele said...

My reason for buying v. borrowing is simple: I covet books. I love having them on my shelves. Yes, I've got at least 2 or 3 years worth of reading up there, but the point is that they're mine, all mine, lol. Now the one's I read and feel aren't really "keepers" I give to book blogging friends and I like to think they pass them on to others. Or I set them free with BookMooch, which is a nice program.

But like you, I have a library 10 minutes away and I'm a tad ashamed that the only time I go there is for the library sale. Oh well, at least I'm not using my disposable income to feed an intravenous drug habit.

Megan said...

I'm totally with you. I'm a big book buying junkie. I don't like shopping for much of anything else, but going out and buying books puts a smile on my face. If I don't buy any or get any in the mail for a while, I start to get really bummed out and everyplace I pass driving to and from work that might have some books starts to look unbelievably tantalizing.... and if I bow the pressure and actually go in, a book purchase becomes unavoidable.

SmilingSally said...

A new book in the mail is a treat. Here's my answer.
http://bookcritiques.blogspot.com/2008/11/booking-through-thursday.html