Tag: Library

July Library Book Haul

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During quarantine,  checking my county library’s website to see if and when my local library would re-open this summer was a daily routine. Before the library closed back in early March, I managed to checkout 3 books… which I had finished by early April. Fortunately, I’ve had a few review books sent to me and quite a few backlist titles laying on my shelves – and I totally gave into some binge book buying – but I was literally over the moon when my county library system officially reopened for door-side pick-up last week. For anyone who is wondering what door-side pick up looks like, once I receive an automated call saying that my books are in, I go to the library and then call my branch to say that I’m there to pick up my holds. From there, they place my books on a table outside of the main entrance. The checkout period is still 2 weeks and you’re allowed at least 3 renew cycles (so 8 weeks total), but all returned books have to be placed in their outdoor drop box and are then quarantined for 3 days. 

As soon as the website said that the online catalog was open, I ran to my list of must-check-out books (which I had made back in May, oops) and by the end, I had managed to put a casual 17 physical books on hold. I admit that these 17 holds were mostly out of pure excitement, but also out of my fear that the libraries may close again. I picked up 10 of my holds last week, and I’m actually going to be picking up 2 more books later today. Today I’ll be sharing library books I currently have checked out, as well as my current holds. 

Books I Checked Out

The Idea of You by Robinne Lee – The Idea of You is probably the #1 recommended book on Bad on Paper. This romance following a forty year old woman who falls in love with the lead singer of her daughter’s favorite boy band was their go-to quarantine read, and I somehow managed to hold off on until July. I’ll actually be returning this one today, having read it during Fourth of July weekend. I’ll have a review soon, but just know for now that The Idea of You is so worth the hype! 

Playing with Matches by Hannah Orenstein – I wasn’t sure if I would be able to use interlibrary loan (meaning ordering books from other libraries other than my local brands – update, I was) so at first I was putting books on hold that I knew my local branch had on hand, which included Hannah Orenstein’s Playing with Matches. I recently bought her latest release, Head Over Heels, and I enjoyed Love at First Like last summer. Like The Idea of You, I also devoured Playing with Matches this weekend and loved it! 

Get A Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert – Many of my book blogging friends have loved Talia Hibbert’s recent release, Take a Hint, Dani Brown, so I knew it was time to pick up the first book in this companion series. If I enjoy this one, I’ll definitely put the second book on hold.

From Sand and Ash by Amy Harmon – If I was going to buy another book before the library reopened, it was most likely going to be Amy Harmon’s From Sand and Ash. I found this historical fiction novel set during WWII through Sarah’s Bookshelves Live (I forget which episode), and it just sounded so unique from most of the WWII historical fiction I’ve read. Read More »

LIBRARY LOVIN’:The Library Loves Tag

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As someone who has always loved the library, it shouldn’t be too surprising for me to realize that I absolutely love writing posts about libraries. Back in my early blogging days, I did a post on all the reasons you should love the library and I did the Library Lovers Tag back in 2018.

That being said, I think I have officially established a Fangirl Fury tradition in which I must do a least one library-related post every year. 2019 shall thus be the year of The Library Loves Tag, created by Jess of Read by Jess in honor of Library Loves month. I saw this tag done by Kate of Reading Through Infinity.

When did you first go to the library/get a library card?

I cannot recall my exact age when I first got my library card, but it had to be when I was in elementary school. My mom is other sole bibliophile in my family, so I would always accompany her to trips to the library. I think she made me check out my own card at some point because I would take out so many books on her account!

How often do you use your library?

My use of the library is an ever-changing question, as it really depends on my school schedule and the amount of books I have received for review or purchased myself. I definitely use the library way more when I am home for school breaks, given that I have way more time to read than during the semester. While I am somewhat close to home, I tend not to check out books from the library during the semester so I don’t have to worry about constantly renewing books. I used my college town library a lot during my sophomore year- although my library at home is awesome at ordering in books from other libraries, my college town’s YA selection was amazing- but my school schedule have gotten significantly more hectic in the past two years that I rely on my review and owned books for reading.

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I don’t think I have ever explained this before, but I use my county library system (I live in the US). This means that while I primarily visit one of the local branches in the town over from me, I can borrow books from almost any library in the county (some libraries are private and only the town’s residents can borrow books from them). If my local library doesn’t have a title, I can put the title on hold from another branch.

Have you ever had a late or lost library book?

I’ve definitely had late books before. This usually happens when one of my parents borrow a book from my account (yes, I made the mistake of giving them my library card number), but even I admit that I am the delinquent user from time to time. BUT NEVER DELINQUENT ENOUGH TO LOSE A BOOK!

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January Book & Library Haul

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Starting off the new year with a bunch of new books is the perfect way to kick off 2019. Today I’ll be sharing the books I received in January through publishers (thank you!) and my local library.

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Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha Lee (courtesy Rick Riordan Presents & Disney Book Group)

Dragon Pearl was the perfect way to start my middle grade reading in 2019. I’ve been using my Dragon Pearl water bottle almost every day at school and I can’t get over the lollipop that came along with the book.

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A POST ABOUT MY FAVORITE PLACE: Library Lovers Book Tag

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If you’ve been here for a while, you know I love using my local library. I basically live by the following Throne of Glass quote: “Libraries were full of ideas—perhaps the most dangerous and powerful of all weapons” (and don’t forget the paper cuts). As I read more and more book blogs, I’ve realized how fortunate I am to have access to two libraries throughout the year, at home and in my college town. I really encourage you to use your local library if you have access to one (find more motivation from yours truly here). So when I saw The Library Lovers Book Tag on The Darlings Diary, I knew the tag needed to have a home on my blog as well.

How often do you visit your local library?

When I’m home for school breaks, I visit my library 2-3 times a week. The amout of visits per week really depend on if I’m going there to pick up books I’ve ordered from other branches or to pick something off their shelves.

Are you the type of person who checks out more books than you know you can read or are you someone who only checks out the exact amount of books you intend on reading before they are due?

I am definitely an over-ambitious book-checker-outer (and yes, that is the official name of us library users). In the summer, I typically take out 3-5 books at a time. Luckily, my library system is really awesome about renewing books, and I can have them out for up to 8 weeks (unless the book is really popular and a lot of people want to read it).

How old were you when you got your first library card?

I want to say 6 or 7, and you better believe I headed straight to the rack full of The Baby-Sitters Club.

Do you go to your library looking for a particular book or do you check out anything that peaks your interest?

I more often than not go with particular books in mind, and before I go, I use their online database to see if the book is on the shelf. If not, I’ll put it on hold from another branch. However, I find myself venturing into the adult section more and picking up whatever peaks my interest—it’s how I discovered Jenny Colgan!

From what section of your section of your library do you check out a majority of your books?

Definitely YA, but like I said above, I’m starting to use the adult section more often (YA will always have my heart, but growing up is weird, friends).

What is your favorite part of using your local library?

Getting to read (almost) ALL the books without having to obviously buy them! I save so much money and space, and more importantly, using the library gives me the opportunity to read nearly everything my heart desires. And the used book sales are awesome—give me 25 cent books all day, everyday!

 

Gotta appreciate that plastic-library book shimmer commonly found in my bookstagram photos.

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Do you use the library? What’s your favorite part of using the library? Share in the comments!

Why I’m Obsessed with the Library (and You Should Be Too)

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The library has always been a main staple in my life. Like myself, my mom is a huge reader and would always (and still does) take me to the library and let me pick out all the books that I wanted. One of the best days of my childhood was when I was old enough to take out my own library card. Since then, I go to my local library at least two times a week, and I am the queen of the YA section. I encourage you, my fellow reader, to use your local library for the following reasons!

You save money- Listen, I am all about buying and collecting books. However, if I bought all the books I read each month, I’d probably be spending $70-$100 a month that I don’t have. I’m a broke college student after all! I buy about 25% of the books that I read, with the rest coming from the library.

You’re always encouraged to read- My library allows me to take out more books that I could possibly read within two weeks. Even if I can’t finish a book before the return date, I can almost always go online and renew it for another two weeks. Also, even if your local library doesn’t have a book that you’re looking for, most branches can get the book from another library in their system in a quick amount of time. It’s another fun form of book mail!

You feel better about not finishing books– I’m all about reading books that I genuinely enjoy. If you follow me on Goodreads , you’ll rarely see me give a 1-2 star reading. When I am not enjoying a book, I almost immediately put it down and don’t rate or review it. I really don’t feel guilty about DNF’ing a library book because I didn’t pay for it. If I bought a book that I DNF’ed, I would just think about the money I wasted on the book.

Saves shelf space- Let’s be honest, even though I am a frequent library user, I still buy a lot of books. While I would love to own every book that I read, my bookshelves and storage space certainly would not feel the same way. I just don’t have enough space (still wishes for that Beauty and the Beast size library). By using the library, I can read all the books I want without having to reorganize my shelves a thousand times.

You support your local community- Libraries are one of the main community centers in most towns and cities. My library has a variety of services, and they offer a lot of events, from author meet-and-greets to story-time hours for younger children.

Do you use the library or do you buy all of your books? Do you do both? Share in the comments below!