It’s payday, I’m looking for textbooks for the upcoming semester on Amazon, and I’m spotting at least a dozen other books I’d rather get… Fortunately, a search of the Omaha Public Library catalog alerts me to the fact that most of these books are in holding and can be pulled and set aside for me, for free, in probably much less time than it would take Amazon to ship them to me. I’ve saved at least $100 today by just doing a quick subject search.
I seriously do not understand why more people don’t use the library. It’s like a free bookstore, people, come on! Plus you don’t have to store the books in your, if you’re like me, double-stacked and over-stuffed bookshelves…or on the floor because you’ve truly run out of shelf space. Sure there are plenty of books that I still buy, but it’s so nice just to be able to go in and pick up 20 books that I’m not sure I’ll love…and then be able to turn them back in when I discover that no, I didn’t like them. If the book turns out to be a must-own, I can still buy it, knowing exactly what I’ll get. I love that.
Anyhow, I’m always struck, particularly on payday, by how wonderful the public library system is here. I know I’m not alone in this revelation, as my branch is always crowded… But for every person perusing the stacks, I know there are 3 more that look down on the system – and I just don’t get that. You’re paying for it anyway, so why not take advantage?
OK, so textbooks have been purchased – school starts back up in 3 weeks for me. That’s 3 more weeks of reading fun stuff…and squeezing as much other guilty-pleasure activities in as possible. J
