Marquise > Status Update

Library. One of the best places on earth!! Whoever started the first library, (huh, I am surprised I have never thought about that before, might have to Google it) was a brilliant and marvelous person!!
Or I would get them as Christmas or birthday gifts.

I re-read my favorite books a lot. I also read my way through my mother's library, which was not always age appropriate...

My local used bookstore (where I am now the manager) had a huge box of cheap paperbacks for a quarter each. I would dive headfirst and get $2 worth with my allowance money as often as I was able to beg my parents to let me go there. I didn’t care WHAT genre they were, I would read ANYthing I could get my hands on. I also read my parents books, the ones I was allowed to read. I read the Hobbit in the second grade. Wasn’t allowed to read LOTR until I was in sixth grade though.

The library, mom's library and through the Schoolastic's book program! Loved them all!

To quote Marc Brown (and I have this one tacked to my GR page) - "Having fun isn't hard when you have a library card." 😊

Library.

I was lucky enough to have access to good or at least decent libraries, and to have parents who took me to the library frequently. It's one of the reasons why I donate so many books to the library I work at, now that I'm able to buy more of the things I want to read than not.

My Aunt gave me her James Herbert collection I think I was supposed to give them back opps 😂..
School library

Frequent trips to the library (there was and still is only one in my native town).

I found a paper recycling point, where all the books for recycling had prices of 1 EUR. In this way I discovered Erich Fromm :)

My mom and dad read to me and my sisters all the time so I grew up with books all over my house…My mom had a boutique store and very time she went out of the country to stock up, she would buy me books. Other than that, my school library was always a good place to find them :)

I definitely used the library a lot in my youth, and am a librarian now so I guess that made an impression! But I did also sneak my mom's and older siblings books to read, because I was voracious - leading to being a tween reading epic fantasy (older brother) and cozy mystery (mom) which I think really helped mold me into the weirdo I am today. Plus when I was about 16 I discovered fanfic, which was both good and bad but is definitely free.

I’ve never been penniless, I don’t understand?

J/K! I used gifts as an opportunity to ask for books - birthdays, Christmas, Easter, etc.

Marta wrote: "Library."

Doesn't count. I said "besides beg, BORROW, or steal." ;)

Gabrielle (Reading Rampage) wrote: "I re-read my favorite books a lot. I also read my way through my mother's library, which was not always age appropriate..."

You never made some sort of effort on your own to buy books through odd jobs as a child/teen?

Jen wrote: "My local used bookstore (where I am now the manager) had a huge box of cheap paperbacks for a quarter each. I would dive headfirst and get $2 worth with my allowance money as often as I was able to..."

Oh, lovely! I did that on occasion when I had saved up a little, too. But it would take me a while because I didn't get an allowance growing up. :)

LIsa Noell "Rocking the chutzpah!" wrote: "The library, mom's library and through the Schoolastic's book program! Loved them all!"

The library doesn't count. What's the Scholastic book programme like? Do they donate or gift books?

There were some of those programmes giving away books for low-income kids, sort of how Dolly Parton's charity does, but I didn't get signed up for those because I didn't know how and when I did, I no longer qualified.

Scott wrote: "To quote Marc Brown (and I have this one tacked to my GR page) - "Having fun isn't hard when you have a library card." 😊"

Yeah, but that's not what I asked. The question was about what efforts you made to get books when you didn't have any money, without borroing them from others, from the library, etc.

In other words, if you ever worked or did odd jobs just to afford books.

Sandi *~The Pirate Wench~* wrote: "Library."

No, not "borrowing." Making an effort on your own to buy books when you couldn't afford them or finding ways to get some, like maybe book programmes for kids, trading/exchanging books with other kids, etc.

LG (A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions) wrote: "I was lucky enough to have access to good or at least decent libraries, and to have parents who took me to the library frequently. It's one of the reasons why I donate so many books to the library ..."

Doesn't count.

Too many people aren't understanding the question...

iain wrote: "My Aunt gave me her James Herbert collection I think I was supposed to give them back opps 😂..
School library"

The library doesn't count, but your aunt does. Did you ever think of or attempt to trade books or services for books with other kids?

Olga wrote: "Frequent trips to the library (there was and still is only one in my native town)."

Not the question, dear Olga. :)

Emiliya wrote: "I found a paper recycling point, where all the books for recycling had prices of 1 EUR. In this way I discovered Erich Fromm :)"

Draaaat! Now that I think about it, there was a paper recycling plant in town too, where our old used school material was sent to, and it never occurred to me to think of checking there for books... I'm mentally kicking myself now. 🤣

You and Jen did understand the question.

rebecca wrote: "My mom and dad read to me and my sisters all the time so I grew up with books all over my house…My mom had a boutique store and very time she went out of the country to stock up, she would buy me b..."

Sounds like you never had any need to look for other ways to have books. :)

Karen wrote: "I definitely used the library a lot in my youth, and am a librarian now so I guess that made an impression! But I did also sneak my mom's and older siblings books to read, because I was voracious -..."

Fanfic does count, the rest doesn't. I knew a girl who got into fanfic because it was free and more readily available than books or the library where she lived (or so she told me).

Victoria wrote: "I’ve never been penniless, I don’t understand?

J/K! I used gifts as an opportunity to ask for books - birthdays, Christmas, Easter, etc."

Technically, it falls within "beg" in "beg, borrow, steal." :P

Today in this thread: Y'all are a buncha privileged bookworms who never had to work for a single book! 😅

And here I had a more heroic image of y'all, I'm disappointed. 🤣

Reread, library, and was always sniffing out who was cleaning off their bookshelves. It's probably why to this day I'm always up to read any genre.

Same! Reread...and the school library during the school year, but during the summer? Read the same few books I had over and over again. My first job was at my college library, though it was a small school. After I transferred to the larger school, though, I had three floors of books and media to have fun with!

WhiskeyintheJar wrote: "Reread, library, and was always sniffing out who was cleaning off their bookshelves."

I remember that during the early GR years, many users here were into PaperbackSwaps and would get real treasures sometimes. Did you ever participate in book exchanges/swaps?

I didn't for location reasons (they were mostly held in the US, at least those I was aware of).

Tammy wrote: "Same! Reread...and the school library during the school year, but during the summer? Read the same few books I had over and over again. My first job was at my college library, though it was a small..."

You never spent part of your income or made a budget for books at the time? Though I do suppose working at a library made that unnecessary.

My bad. I was thinking of borrowing from people, not places, when I read that. And I was also thinking about pre being able to work days (younger than teens and being able to babysit etc.)

I frequented charity shops, car boot sales, bring and buy sales, second hand book shops.

Not only did I save a HUGE amount of money but the eclectic selection available forced me to buy books by authors I'd never heard of before,

Marquise wrote: "WhiskeyintheJar wrote: "Reread, library, and was always sniffing out who was cleaning off their bookshelves."

I remember that during the early GR years, many users here were into PaperbackSwaps an..."

I never participated in a GRs swap, friends/family and some used bookstores had swaps.

Marta wrote: "My bad. I was thinking of borrowing from people, not places, when I read that. And I was also thinking about pre being able to work days (younger than teens and being able to babysit etc.)"

I always read (and heard from American friends too) that it's not uncommon for children to do odd jobs here and there for a few dollars. Like lawnmowing, grocery bags carrying, helping elderly neighbours with some chores, and so on. And kids spend those dollars in something to treat themselves, don't they?

So I was thinking I'd get that kind of stories but relating to books. In all my time here, I've seen some go to great lengths to get rare/out-of-print books through ingenious means, and when one's young and pockets are empty . . . well, imagination flies! ;)

There were always books around in my parent's and grandparent's houses. And I generally spent my entire allowance on books. We also had an old Carnegie library in the neighborhood that I would go to.

The Bauchler wrote: "I frequented charity shops, car boot sales, bring and buy sales, second hand book shops."

You found so many ways! :) I applaud your creativity.

Fred wrote: "There were always books around in my parent's and grandparent's houses. And I generally spent my entire allowance on books. We also had an old Carnegie library in the neighborhood that I would go to."

Lucky! :)

And what when you did want to own a particular book/edition but your allowance wasn't enough? How did you manage?

WhiskeyintheJar wrote: "I never participated in a GRs swap, friends/family and some used bookstores had swaps."

Ah! I see. I wonder if that place is still active, I don't see folks doing swaps anymore.

In those days, I’d exchange books with my best friends and pick up second-hand books .

LunaW wrote: "In those days, I’d exchange books with my best friends and pick up second-hand books ."

Secondhand books given for free or sold for very cheap?

Marquise wrote: "The Bauchler wrote: "I frequented charity shops, car boot sales, bring and buy sales, second hand book shops."

You found so many ways! :) I applaud your creativity."

I was simply skint.

Being unemployed I had little money coming in and that went on beer and food - usually in that order:)

Marquise wrote: "Fred wrote: "There were always books around in my parent's and grandparent's houses. And I generally spent my entire allowance on books. We also had an old Carnegie library in the neighborhood that..."

Sometimes my mother would get them for me. My parents were by no means well off, but they would find money to get symphony and opera tickets for me as well books.

Very cheap.15 years ago,the secondhand The Shining闪灵 only 5 yuan（about 70 cents）.

I actually went to the library for a while. Both the town library of where I lived back then and the school library, which was smaller but also had a few decent books. And I’m lucky my parents did buy me some books too. Which Christie was your first, if you don’t mind me asking?

Marquise wrote: "Gabrielle (Reading Rampage) wrote: "I re-read my favorite books a lot. I also read my way through my mother's library, which was not always age appropriate..."

You never made some sort of effort o..."

There was not a ton of money growing up (single mom, 3 kids including a severely disabled one) and new books were treats. As a teen, I managed to get a new one every now and then. Once I had my own income, I became a compulsive book buyer and worked in bookshops for the employee discount in college. Go figure.

I'm afraid this one isn't applicable to me. I'm having fun reading everyone else's replies, however. 😂

Thibault wrote: "I actually went to the library for a while. Both the town library of where I lived back then and the school library, which was smaller but also had a few decent books."

Doesn't count, Thibu. The question is about making an effort to get/buy books when you couldn't pay yourself, not about borrowing them. It's assumed we went to the library as the default alternative, hence the "besides beg, borrow, or steal."

Hahaha! You dug up that Christie, which I added with only a rating and no review because it was from pre-GR times, so you do know which Christie that one was. ;) See if you can dig it up again! :P

Gabrielle (Reading Rampage) wrote: "Once I had my own income, I became a compulsive book buyer and worked in bookshops for the employee discount in college..."

Yeah, I remember the library and the bookshops near the campus were competitive positions and hard to get into; everyone wanted to work there even when they didn't necessarily lack for funds. One of my classmates was well-off but she got a position in the Uni's library for the rare books. :D

The Bauchler wrote: "I was simply skint..."

Hope life's been kinder to you since then. :)