I saw this tag over at Never Not Reading, and because I love libraries I decided to do it, even though I wasn’t specifically tagged. Because libraries!

How often do you visit your local library?

I stop by the library after work at least two or three times a week. Sometimes it’s more often than that, and it’s rarely less. It’s one of the bigger library branches in town, and it’s just on the right on my way home. I don’t get to spend much time there at once because I get there about 15-20 minutes before close, but several small visits each week feed my need for the library.

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

I always intend to read all the books I check out, but that doesn’t always happen. Usually, I only check out two or three books at a time, but sometimes I grab a few more. I try to stick with books on my Goodreads TBR, but I often find something else that looks interesting!

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

I was six when my Dad took me to the library to get my very first card. It was cardboard with a little metal tag on it, because my small town library system wouldn’t upgrade to a computer based catalog/checkout system until I was a little older. We kept it in its little sleeve, pinned to the bulletin board in the kitchen so I wouldn’t lose it. I remember being so excited that I had my very own library card!

I was always in my elementary and junior high school libraries, but I didn’t get along with the high school librarian, so I went to the public library instead. When I got to college, I was always in our gigantic, multi-story library that takes up two large buildings. There was always a quiet corner to study in, especially since most of my research took place in the art and art history section. Once I graduated from college I went to the city libraries, generally going to whichever branch I lived closest to. You can request books from different branches, and they’ll show up at your preferred branch within a day or two. It’s great! Libraries have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember, and will always be a part of my life, so long as there is one nearby

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

I usually go with something in mind to look for, or I have a hold or two to pick up, but sometimes when I’m just there to return books, I’ll browse around for a little while- usually in the new releases section because of time restraints. If I’m there earlier in the day, I’ll wander the stacks and see if something catches my eye.

Do you only check out books or do you also get DVDs, audiobooks, etc.?

I’ll check out just about any media my library offers, except for the video games (I don’t have a video game system). I also don’t check out the ukeleles my library has. But books, audiobooks, DVDs, CDs, ebooks… It’s all fair game. And it saves me from having to buy materials I might only use once!

From what section of the library do you check out most of your books?

The branch I usually go to recently reorganized their collection. Fiction used to be divided by genre (a set up I really liked because it allowed me to easily browse the SciFi/Fantasy section), but now all fiction has been organized into a single section and that’s what I generally get books from, because SciFi/Fantasy has been merged with regular fiction (and mysteries, and westerns, and romance, and, and, and…) But I get quite a few books from the non-fiction sections. Not terribly many from YA, though.

What is your favorite part of using your local library?

Free books! Also, I enjoy being part of an institution like the public library system, which provides so many services and resources for so many people who otherwise might not have access to them. In addition to the thousands of books available at the eight branches throughout the city and the bookmobile that serves the small towns nearby, they have a wide variety of ebooks, as well as literacy programs, inter-library loans, free internet access, children’s programs, after school programs, tax prep services, job listings, translation services, book clubs, summer reading programs, and many more services that I can’t think of right now. Unless the weather is truly terrible, my favorite branch always seems to be full of people. Libraries are a major part of my community, and it’s one of the things I love about this city.

I’m so lucky to live in a city that has such a wonderful library system to go along with our amazing community of book lovers! I don’t know what I would do without the public library or the librarians who diligently keep it all running.

Tag: anyone who loves libraries!