The Mookse and the Gripes discussion

I just wanted to write about how much I enjoy and appreciate the library. I started utilizing my local libraries again in February. My father passed in late November and in the aftermath, as I’m trying to navigate all the legal and financial impacts, I decided to quit my job as a writing and English teacher with Chicago Public Schools. Needless to say, once I realized I will have to pull myself together and start planning my next chapter in life, I started going to libraries to get out of the house and have a quiet, separate place to work. After

a few weeks I picked up my first book from a library in a long time: Blindness by Jose Saramago. It was great and I read it in under a week, I think. Now, I’m on my fifth library book in under a month and I want to say thanks to Chicago Public Libraries and surrounding suburban library systems. The access to so many titles, new, old, unknown, rare finds, etc. has really reinvigorated my reading career. I’m reading very enjoyable books and reading them at a relatively quick clip.

I think the timeline (2 weeks in Chicago, automatically extended unless someone else puts the title on hold or request) gives me a subtle, subconscious sense of immediacy and because I’ve been able to find titles that interest me I start tearing through the pages as soon as I get home. I barely turn on my tv, my screen time is down significantly, and most of all I’m really enjoying my time with these books! Now, if I can just find a job and get back to writing my consistently 😄.

I’d like to hear about other people’s relationships with their libraries and some new titles to check out on their TBR list.

I don't use my local library much. It is very underfunded as is the London library system generally- so it doesn't get new books - when a prize list like the Woman's Prize or International Booker comes out I have in the past tried requesting books but typically takes months for them to arrive or they never do.

I know GY who lives in Surrey has a very different experience with his.

I haven't used my library since son was little. Have been thinking of resurrecting my membership to be able to access audiobooks.

In the last 18 months I have started using my library again and really enjoying it, despite having a similar problem to Paul, in that it doesn't get the full range of new books I would like.
But, I am a fan of libraries and think we need to support them to do all we can to prevent more closing due to cuts in funding.

Dan wrote: "I just wanted to write about how much I enjoy and appreciate the library. I started utilizing my local libraries again in February. My father passed in late November and in the aftermath, as I’m tr..."

I'm very sorry for your loss but am happy to hear a fondness for the library has grown from this dark time. The Chicago Public Library is also my local library, and I am currently in graduate school for a Master's in Library Science.

I actually think I need to restrict myself on my library checkouts going forward because I have well over 200+ books that I own and need to read but keep getting enticed by new releases at the library! In the meantime, I am currently reading Margaret Atwood's latest short story collection, Old Babes in the Wood, courtesy of the CPL and am quite enjoying it thus far!

I've always used the library extensively. We moved around a lot when I was a child, and the library was always a touchstone.

When my children were small we walked to the local library which was tiny, but had so many programs, and despite being smaller than a small house, were very good about ordering books in.

About a year and a half ago we moved from Southern California to the Midwest and I immediately visited the local library. Again, tiny, but also good about ordering and ILL.

I love that libraries are a haven for people with no place else to be, they have computers, printers, fax and copy machines. All things that everyone needs at one time or another, but don't necessarily own.

I visit the library at least once a week, and although I don't attend as many of the programs as I used to, they are always available.

And in addition somewhere warm and dry.A number of homeless people in our town struggle on Sundays as the library is shut.

My library keeps me employed so I have money to buy more books.

I borrow a lot too though, for real.

Glad you're enjoying your public library! Thanks for sharing.

I have been using the library more in the last couple of years but like Paul's mine is not well funded and the stock is rather slow moving.

My local library doesn’t have the books I like, their fiction section is popular fiction. The Cleveland public library is good I think and also good about sending books to all the branches, but I’m not 40 minutes from downtown Cleveland.

I have a lot of love and respect for libraries and always vote for library funding levies.

My condolences on your father passing, Dan, and loads of good luck in whatever you do next.

When I was a kid in Canada we used to got to the library on a weekly basis. I would come back with a stack of books, magazines and records/tapes

My mother also enrolled me in summer library programs which was basically reading books and watching films- something I still do many years later.

In Malta, our public library has popular fiction but it is improving. However, there is an excellent graphic novels section which is constantly updated so during the summer recess, I use it frequently.

Rachel:
I got rid of my library prior to a move a couple of years ago. I brought 50-100 books into my classroom at the time and donated the other 100 through secondhand book stores and I’ve slowly been rebuilding it to the tune of some 50-75 books. The library is so helpful to keep a lid on my spending while also letting me be more thoughtful about what and why I choose to buy and add to my collection. I’m still a sucker for used bookstores though and whenever I go in I’m on the hunt for a few select titles and typically leave with 1-5 books in hand 😅.

While I do not currently use the local libraries for books, I still love libraries and visit them often. Some of my favorite memories from childhood involve the library. I support libraries with donations as they are so important for so many reasons.

I told David today that I have a number of expenses coming up: diaper party, baby shower, wedding, flowers for the yard, and other things, so I was going to try to not buy any books until Booker longlist, but that I was curious about Cursed Bread after reading but_i_thought_’s excellent review on Instagram and David suggested I use my library. I told him I doubted my local libraries had the kind of fiction we read, David googled my library (I’m in a suburb of Cleveland, David is in Chicago) and found that they have 12 copies of Cursed Bread available and they have Pyre! I am now going to be a library patron for books that I’m curious about and know that if I don’t read now I never will and save my book buying for books I know will read eventually, if not soon.

I'm doing my best to bring Wendy into the 19th century :)

Lol! My husband is right behind you pushing me along as well!

Don’t forget interlibrary loan too! Your local system doesn’t necessarily have to own it to get you a copy.

Right, Lee, I can access Cleveland public libraries. I was surprised that our local library had Cursed Bread, Pyre, and The Birthday Party.

While the London library system is pretty poor for physical copies, you can get ecopies of some books.

And e-libraries have the advantage of being more international.

E.g. as a lover of Korean literature you can get a very good selection of translated works - including new releases - from the Literature Translation Institute of Korea - https://lti.overdrive.com/

They do have limited copies they loan of each (presumably to avoid a mass dent in publisher sales) so sometimes there is a wait list but there is a lot available immediately and the wait list clears quickly as well.

Worth a look for translated fiction fans.

And are there other similar sources people use for books?

Great resource. I see titles on the Digital Library of Korean Lit (DLKL) site that aren't otherwise available for me.

My local library when I'm in the city (Chicago) has sort of collapsed the distinction between the digital and physical. It's not alone. As long as you have a library card, you can go onto the hoopla site (it's both a website and an app) to checkout digital and streaming content: https://www.hoopladigital.com/

From what I gather, it's mostly North American publishers on hoopla, but there are notable additions like Charco. I've been waiting for Seagull and some others to join, but nothing doing on that front.

It looks like the DLKL library is on the OverDrive platform, which is a competitor of hoopla. As I understand the competing models, libraries pay a blanket license to OD vs. a per-checkout fee to hoopla. Here's an article discussing the models in the context of comic publishers, which is analogous to small presses: https://www.comicsbeat.com/hoopla-com...

I did a little bit more digging. It looks like the London library is on OverDrive (but not hoopla). Here's their digital catalogue: https://londonlibrary.overdrive.com/

There doesn't seem to be a match between the DLKL offerings and London, even though they are both on OverDrive. The book you just read, Togani, for example, isn't available through the London library's OverDrive offerings.

Incidentally, Togani doesn't seem to be available on hoopla either.

I'm sure we have people in this group that know more about these platforms than I do.

Yes with the Korean library seems best to just download it as a file and read in an E reader app (Bluefire or Pocketbook etc) rather than use Overdrive.

I work at a public library that has been utilizing both Overdrive and Hoopla for a long time, so I might be able to answer some questions about both.

In short, Hoopla primarily works with particular publishers and distributors. Libraries pay a subscription for the service (based on total number of check outs allowed each month). Those same titles are available to every single library who subscribes to the service. There is no selection process. There is also no limit to how many people system-wide can having any title checked out at one time.

With Overdrive, each title is selected by the library selectors and a license is purchased by the library. Depending on the publisher, there is a set number of times that title can be loaned out before another license needs to be purchased. Just like the physical collection, a library can only loan out the number of licenses they own for any specific title at one time.

So there are definitely many more limits to Overdrive, but the nice thing about it is that a library can purchase only the titles that are a really great fit for their collection.

I'm a librarian in the state of Delaware! We are a small but mighty library system, and as someone who's been working in various libraries for seven years, I highly encourage anyone who hasn't been since they or their children were young to come back. Not only do we have the wonderful online resources mentioned already, it is really great to talk with someone about reader's advisory. Librarians are so excited to talk with you about what you're reading and help you find the next book you'll love!

Also, as mentioned above, a library is a safe haven for every member of the community, housed and unhoused, employed and unemployed, old and young. I'm so passionate about libraries as a concept and reality. We're doing some fantastic things for our communities!