We got a couple of emails about getting books from libraries and I just wanted to drop a really quick note about it.
Never, ever, ever apologize about getting a book from the library. Library is a place dedicated to books and there is a reason why librarianship is a noble profession.
When I was a kid, going to a library on my way back from school and getting a bag full of books was the first independent grown up experience for me. I was treated as an adult, I could make my own choices, and getting that stack of book made me so happy, I didn’t mind dragging the heavy bag across two tram stops and up and down two hills.
When we had no money, library was the only place we could get books. Not everyone can afford to buy a book, but everyone deserves a chance to read one. Gordon found his first Parker book at a library and if he got books from the library, his aunt and uncle, who are very conservative in their religious beliefs, were reluctant to say no to it. It was a big deal to him and it’s a big deal to me.
So, don’t apologize! Sometimes it’s a choice between a gallon of milk and buying a book. Get the milk and go to the library.
I am glad you wrote about libraries. It is a library’s BUSINESS to lend books and other forms of communicative materials to patrons or potential patrons. You can look at it this way, they have to buy the books, audio tapes, DVDs, etc. like everyone else. The creators then get money from that source, eventually.
I do not know anyone who can buy every book they want to read. So they borrow. Very smart thing, too!
I have always loved libraries and haunted them quite frequently. I do buy books, but I borrow books, DVDs, … from them often.
I am a huge advocate of the library. There was a time there when I was unemployed, and I couldn’t afford to buy books, the library was my best friend through that time. I can also be kinda picky about what kind of books and writing styles I enjoy. My theory is that if I get books from the library, and REALLY enjoy the author, I’ll be more inclined to buy their books in the future when I have the money. I’ve done that with the majority of the authors who books currently sit on my bookshelves.
Thank you for advocating the libraries as well. I know I have had times when I too felt guilty about getting all my books there, but now that I’ve got the income to purchase, you better believe my favorite authors (whom I met through the library) were the first books I paid for.
It’s the best way to find your favorite authors. You are so right!
Just think of the library as a radio station. Sure you can listen to the music for free, but has that ever stopped you from buying a new album… or the new song that you’ve fallen in love with? The library gives you an introduction to new worlds, new authors…
Excellent post (I’m a little prejudiced since I am a Library Technician and work in a library) Also Libraries help you discover new authors and than you go out and buy ALL of their stuff so it can be beneficial to an author.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by mountie9, Kiyomi Deards. Kiyomi Deards said: A Quick Note on #Libraries by author @ilona_andrews http://tinyurl.com/385b6vo "Get the milk and go to the library." #librarians [...]
Thank you for this post. I lived on a farm as a kid because my parents wanted to get out of the city. We had NO extra money but they always took us to the library. They were big readers and we all loved books so much. The library is such a “comfort” place for me. Since my kids were toddlers I took them up to the library for the summer reading programs because it’s okay to read the books to them before they can read themselves. Now my ten year old reads out loud to me every night.
Libraries are awesome. I can’t imagine not having a library.
I could not afford to buy all of the books that I have read (300) in 2009 . I borrow books from two different library counties and the librarians are great. I get all of my audio books from the library so I can enjoy my favorite authors while driving. The books I do buy I keep or trade. You only have so much storage space.
I love the liibrary! I borrowed some books today.
I’ve been taking my son to the library since he was a baby and he still enjoys going there now. We’re in there at least twice a month. Our local libraries are brilliant, the staff are lovely and they have a pretty good range of pnr/uf books (most of the requests are from me). I buy a lot of books, but I love going to the library!
Remember also that Library books have a short shelf life. They are replaced…but while they are on the shelves they introduce people to characters that they will come to love. We all go through times when the library is our only source of reading material. Right now I am listening to a new author I had read great reviews of, but because I am an Audio book lover, I wanted to listen to the stories first. Audio books are an investment for me. I ask myself ‘will I listen to this book over and over?” before I buy. Ilona and Gordon write novels that meet that criteria, but the first time I listened to Magic Bites? It was from the library, Magic Bleeds?…well lets just say I can’t wait to hear the story one second longer than I have to, so I purchased a copy to go along with the rest of the series as soon as I saw it availble for download.
Thank you for this post! I am the first hold on your book at my local library and hope to pick it up this weekend.
What a great post. My husband was laid off over 18 months ago and choices had to be made when it came to the budget. I got a library card so that I could keep reading as many books as was my habit without leaving us short on grocery money. It’s amazing how much that one small change helped!
And now that he is starting back at work and has an income again, I can go out and buy some of the books by authors I discovered through the library. Some of whom, I would bet, I never would have taken a chance on had not tried them out “for free” first.
Thanks for the great comments on the impact of libraries.
I grew up in a very small rural community and we were always short on money. My bi weekly library visit was one of the things I most enjoyed. My family had a small black and white TV set, but we mainly watched the evening news. My county library let me explore so many worlds, both real and imagined. It led me to cultivate a love of travel and history that I fully indulge as an adult. I would not be the person I am today, if I had not been able to use the local library as a jumping off point.
I can afford to buy my own books these days, but I find myself donating books to my local library as a way to pay it forward for people who aren’t as blessed as I have been. I even donated two copies of Magic Bleeds, because I hope to find more readers for a couple of my favorite writers!
Amen.
As I no longer can comfortably read anything due to complications from an illness, I have since donated all my books to the local library. The enthusiasm with which they were received did more than make up for the loss I had at giving them up. But, I also gained, I get to borrow books in audio format ….so the local library has also come to my rescue!
Libraries and their tireless, enthusiastic volunteers ROCK!!!!!
I love the library, I can check out books free. If i love the author, I buy their books. I also recommend books and authors to the library for others to “find”. Supporting the library brings in more tax dollars. This gives access to books for people that would not normally read/buy them, exposing us all to more authors.
Ilona Andrews was not on the shelves, enough of us recommend it and now all books are on the shelf !!! They are so popular there is a long waiting list !
Very nicely said! I work in one to fund my reading habit!
Great post. I love libraries. You can sometimes find older books that are out of print, or if an author publishes a lot of books ::cough:: Nora Roberts ::cough:: then you can borrow from the library instead getting a loan to buy the 50 some books you like. And they are quiet, so people don’t randomly come up to you and start talking, always just when you get to the best part.
I am very glad of your post. We take our 18 month old son to the library every other weekend or so as a treat so that he can feel like an big kid and make a choice on the books he would like to read.
It is a important privilege that we take for granted.
Support the local libraries as you either you use it or loose it..
Aww, Thank you so much for this post! I’m the youngest of 7 girls and 1 boy and while growing up we always looked forward to going to the library to check out books—It was one of the few occasions my family could afford. Seeing as going to the library and being able to check out books is virtually free that’s saying a lot. I can’t imagine where me and my brother and sisters would be without our local library growing up. The possibilities of things we could’ve gotten into if it weren’t for those books. I volunteer at the library now, as sort of a way to give back. Thank you! “Never ever, ever apologize for getting a book from the library.” AMEN is all I have to say to that.
I do not know what I would do without the library. Very nicely put Ilona. There is never anything wrong with reading – any way you can get your hands on a book is a good thing (okay, no stealing, but you know what I mean!)
Funny you should write this. A friend text messaged me yesterday and said, “What is the name of the author you love?” I sent back the name along with the title of the first book. She’s getting it and I know once she reads MAGIC BITES she’ll be hooked and purchase the series. Libraries are a lot like those little ladies at Costco handing out samples — you can try any book you want and when you find just the perfect one, you can buy into the series if your pocketbook allows. If you can’t afford to buy the books, you’re supporting the author by borrowing the book. What a tremendously cool arrangement.
Sigh. I failed to mention the friend was standing in her local library when she sent the text message. New tech meets old tech.
The library is a fabulous place to get books. Not only will you leave with the one you went for, but probably with more than you planned on. I always find some great new reads at the library without even trying to.
Plus, my 3 year old loves the library. We’ve been going since he was 3 months old and it’s the first place he consistently recognized. He loves hanging out in the youth room and picking out his own books. Hell, he even asks to go to the bookstore now.
You guys are awesome!
You guys Rock! Buy the milk, go to the library. I friggin love it.
Thank you for this post. We are a one income family (hubs works, I homeschool the kids) so my book purchases are rare treats. Our librarians know me and my kids by name and are always willing to listen when I suggest a new author for them to purchase.
What a great gift you share with us. First your incredible writing talent and second your generous spirit that knows what reality is for many us. Thank you.
Great post! I buy my books nowadays but there is something nice about having the choice of what’s in a library.
I absolutely love the library. I’ve been getting books from the library for well ever and have found some of my favourite authors there, Nora Roberts and Rachael Gibson being 2 and I now I buy their books as soon as they are released (well maybe not ALL of Nora Roberts that woman is a writing machine!) There was talk a few years ago of closing our local library and there was such an uproar that they kept it open
Amen… geez, libraries can be a reader’s best friend.
I know what it’s like being broke and desperate for a book-libraries were a lifesaver for me.
Two friends of mines knew how much i LOVE this series. So I ended up with two copies of Magic Strikes. I donated the one I didn’t read yet to the local library where I found Magic Bites and Magic Burns. Unfortunately, I only have one copy of Magic Bleeds so i’m keeping that for myself lol but yay for libraries!
Love Libraries…I’m a bit behind on the blog reading, is the new photo a new book cover?
It is so wonderful to hear an author advocating libraries as they are so wonderful! I have a very similar memory as a child. My mom would take me but then turn me loose inside the doors. Allow me to wander and make my own choices. To this day I still love getting works from the library especially when money is tight. Although there are several books that I have read and loved so much I have dropped my copy off at the library then gone straight to the book stores and those authors (and you’re one of them!) are now on my automatic buy list! And I never would have discovered them if it weren’t for the library!
I work in a library and I do alot of shelve browsing to find books to read. That’s how I first got a hold of the Magic series. The first book didn’t grab me, but when I read the second I realized I loved them—then I had to grab and read them all. I’m glad to say that my library has all your books, and if they didn’t I would put in a Suggest a Purchase. At the moment I have all four Magic books at home, I own all of them, but I don’t know where my first three are, so I got them at the library so I could reread them with the fourth one.
I love libraries. I used to take out 20 books per week from the library as a teenager. The only reason I don’t read more library books now is… well, a long story, but I do read some.
On another note, I finally got my copy of Magic Bleeds on Saturday, and now my sanity is saved. Now that I have read it three times, I can tell you how awesome it is, which is VERY. Hurray!