Author Topic: The Library (Read 2088639 times)

jane · « **Reply #5120 on:** May 20, 2011, 12:31:12 PM »

The Library

Our library cafe is open 24/7, the welcome mat is always out.
Do come in from daily chores and spend some time with us.

We look forward to hearing from you, about you and the books you are enjoying (or not).

Let the book talk begin here!

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Yes, Ann, they'd announced a few days ago that libraries which use Overdrive for their e lending would now be Kindle compatible. Overdrive hasn't been up to now...just for Nooks, Iphones, Sony readers, etc. This will be a huge boost, I'd think, for Kindle users.

I've gotten my first library e-book and it's a wonderful thing to be able to do. It'll automatically be gone after two weeks. Incredible what this technology can do.

maryz · « **Reply #5121 on:** May 20, 2011, 12:32:06 PM »

AdoAnnie, I knew about the Kindle/library thing. Our library is going to use it. The library has audio downloads now, but I don't think it has the Kindle yet. I'm sure I'll be a user when it does.

Gumtree · « **Reply #5122 on:** May 20, 2011, 12:36:18 PM »

Frybabe: well done you - congrats. Now you can relax for a while...

JoanP · « **Reply #5123 on:** May 20, 2011, 01:08:12 PM »

Whoa! Frybabe! congratulations! You showed 'em. You showed yourself that you could do it! We're so proud of you!

mabel1015j · « **Reply #5124 on:** May 20, 2011, 01:11:13 PM »

The Kindle library-thingy sounds terrific. So many lubraries, so many books. Did any of you see the March Newsweek article about what happens to our decision-making processes when we have too many choices? It goes kaffluie (how DO you spell that word?) .

Pedln - i never heard of Candace Wheeler, but am glad to hear of another accomplished woman. We don't know about so many of them...... Jean

Jonathan · « **Reply #5125 on:** May 20, 2011, 01:29:00 PM »

My dikshunery says it calfloughly.

MaryPage · « **Reply #5126 on:** May 20, 2011, 03:24:49 PM »

Good on you, Frybabe!

marjifay · « **Reply #5127 on:** May 20, 2011, 05:08:06 PM »

Way to go, Frybabe!

Marj

ginny · « **Reply #5128 on:** May 20, 2011, 05:50:04 PM »

What? What? Did you add this or something?

PS: one A and two Bs. Not as bad as I thought. I've already registered for my next two classes in the fall. It shouldn't be as hair raising. Intermediate accounting and a class on accounting software (aka: Quickbooks).

Shriek!! What happened to the D's and C's and F's expected, doggone good thing you did not drop out!

Congratters, congratters, CONGRATTERS!!! hahahaa

You GO, Girl!

Frybabe · « **Reply #5129 on:** May 20, 2011, 06:48:05 PM »

Thanks, gang. I do feel better. You all know how I was beating myself up this semester.

Quote

Newsweek article about what happens to our decision-making processes when we have too many choices? It goes kaffluie

Oh, goody. I feel vindicated when I take a long time to make a decision.

ANNIE · « **Reply #5130 on:** May 20, 2011, 08:20:43 PM »

I understand "calfloughy" when there are too many choices of anything! We all have too many choices thrown at us on a daily basis! I think its the American way! Hate too many choices of anything.

Mabel,
Pedl'n and I have really enjoyed looking at this site about working women including Candace Wheeler. There are a lot of women to read about but I was disappointed not to find Hariette Beecher Stowe, but her sister, Catherine Esther Beecher, is well covered.

http://ocp.hul.harvard.edu/ww/wheeler.html

Steph · « **Reply #5131 on:** May 21, 2011, 06:00:58 AM »

Too many choices.. Sounds like any visit to a bookstore for me..Yesterday, I stopped in B and N since I wanted the new AAA book on traveling with animals. When I go up to Highlands at the end of June for my month away, the dogs will come with me. I need a hotel somewhere around Madison, Ga for a night.. Thus far,, nothing at all in Madison, which makes no sense. There are at least 5 hotels there and none are high end.. Oh well..
So one book.. right.. Well as always, I peeked here and there and ended up with six books.. Sigh.. And I truly do not need more books. my TBR pile is horrendous..

salan · « **Reply #5132 on:** May 21, 2011, 06:21:09 AM »

I am currently reading House at Riverton by Kate Morton. It's good, so far. I loved her "Forgotten Garden". I also have checked out Sandra Dallas' Brides House and Julia Glass' Widower's Tale. I am leaving for Dallas for a week of Grandson "sitting", so will probably have to return at least one unread.
Sally

JoanP · « **Reply #5133 on:** May 21, 2011, 06:36:04 AM »

Oh Sally, I really hate to return library books unread too. That just happened to me with "The Weird Sisters" - and I had to wait so long for it - I think I was 89th on the hold list at the library when it first came out. Ah well. I'm back on the hold list again - #73/ Maybe when it comes up again I'll be able to get to it. Has anyone read it? The Weird Sisters?

Sally, Julia Glass's book. I'd love to hear what you thought of it.

Babi · « **Reply #5134 on:** May 21, 2011, 09:18:44 AM »

Ah, ROSEMARY, who could ask for anything more? Finding so many books that you were interested in, and a walk along the water with the birds! Sounds like the perfect day to me.

My Smithsonian should be in shortly, STEPH. I'm looking forward to that one. Of course, I find most of the Smithsonian articles fascinating. I mean, whoever knew mice could sing?!!

GINNY, I have sometimes suspected that when someone has a reputation for being brilliant, we tend to think everything they say is meaningful and brilliant. Actually, I believe they probably speak nonsense from time to time, like everyone else.

Well, ANNIE, that ought to sell a lot more Kindles, right?

Congratulations, FRYBABE! That's terrific!

Uh, SALLY & JOANP, don't your libraries allow renewal?

maryz · « **Reply #5135 on:** May 21, 2011, 09:48:06 AM »

Babi, our library doesn't allow renewals when there is a waiting list for a book - otherwise they are allowed. However, they could just keep it out, finish the book, and pay the overdue fine.

salan · « **Reply #5136 on:** May 21, 2011, 01:50:45 PM »

Babi, yes my library allows renewals UNLESS there is a waiting list. All these books are on the waiting list. Sigh~
Sally

JoanK · « **Reply #5137 on:** May 21, 2011, 08:41:07 PM »

FRY: YOU GO, GIRL! WE RETURNING STUDENTS ROCK!

roshanarose · « **Reply #5138 on:** May 21, 2011, 10:47:18 PM »

Atta Girl Frybabe - I agree that mature learners (maybe returning students is more polite) excel. Exams are so pedagogically unsound. Dreadful things to make people do.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #5139 on:** May 22, 2011, 02:40:36 AM »

Congratulations Frybabe! I had to requalify in Scottish law - when Madeleine was 5, and years after I had even been at work at all - and I can well remember all the stress of that. Law Society exams are still very old-fashioned and formal, and as the whole course was done by correspondence, you had no idea how you were really doing. I thought I was suffering until I turned up at the exam and met an American girl who had qualified in the US, married an Englishman, requalified in England, then had to move to Scotland for his job and was requalifying again in Edinburgh - AND she had a very young baby! Yes, we returners (although I have to admit she was probably 15 years my junior) really do have more resilience and determination. Well done!

Steph · « **Reply #5140 on:** May 22, 2011, 06:12:39 AM »

Which Weird Sisters?? I have read the Terry Pratchett one..

LarryHanna · « **Reply #5141 on:** May 22, 2011, 09:17:37 AM »

In the newspaper here this week there was an article indicating that Liberty Media was seriously considering buying Barnes & Nobel. They want it not for the brick and mortar stores but the electronic books portion. The article didn't indicate whether they would close any of the actual stores. There was another article indicating that Borders will likely declare bankruptcy within days and all of their stores will close as the business will be shut down. They have not been able to find financing. Interesting time in which we live.

marjifay · « **Reply #5142 on:** May 22, 2011, 10:58:10 AM »

I agree, Roshanarose, that "mature" students do very well. I returned to finish my second two years of college and get my degree after my kids returned to school. The older students, IMO, with their years of experience in life, brought more to the reading and discussion than those youngsters.

And, good for you, Rosemary, for requalifying for the Scottish law. I can imagine how stressful that must have been for you.

Marj

ANNIE · « **Reply #5143 on:** May 22, 2011, 01:19:55 PM »

Larry,
I find the news tidbits depressing. What about those who like to hold a book when they read or those who give gifts of books. My daughter is known in our family as the 'book aunt'. She always gives book gifts. She also reads books from the library and instead of returning them before finishing them, she opts to pay the fine. Says its her only donation to anything and she always feels the book was worth it.

Here in downtown Gahanna, we cannot renew unless there is no one awaiting the title.

roshanarose · « **Reply #5144 on:** May 22, 2011, 09:48:44 PM »

And the prices of ebooks are rising accordingly.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #5145 on:** May 23, 2011, 01:32:45 AM »

Isn't that just so predictable?

Rosemary

Steph · « **Reply #5146 on:** May 23, 2011, 05:54:00 AM »

Yes, I just downloaded Old Filth.. Took seconds of time and cost 12.99, but it is difficult to find.
Barnes and Noble is the only large bookstore left in our area. Our Borders closed months ago. I buy more from Amazon that B and N, but love to wander through a real store and check out what is what. Walmart only has the predictable type books.. Not the really good stuff, you have to stumble upon.

Babi · « **Reply #5147 on:** May 23, 2011, 08:32:36 AM »

I did the same, MARJ. Went back and got a degree in medical records adminitration. With
the kids growing up, I wanted to do more with the rest of my working life than push a broom
around.
The idea of a future with only electronic books is really sad. Happily(?) it's highly unlikely we'll
live to see it.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #5148 on:** May 23, 2011, 12:16:27 PM »

We may need a movement and become as the Irish Monks who preserved most written documents there will be those of us who preserve paper and paste books - we may have to support private libraries - who knows -

Like many of you I too prefer to be surrounded by books - walls of books - closets and drawers of books - table tops piled high with books - browsing old fashioned book stores finding hidden gems - as much as I enjoy browsing Amazon there is nothing like touching, smelling, eyes roaming on shelves and shelves of books. If I can support PBS in order to get quality TV I sure can support private libraries if that is what it comes to.

ANNIE · « **Reply #5149 on:** May 23, 2011, 12:56:20 PM »

Barb,
Your idea of supporting private libraries brought to my memory of being with my mother in a stationery store where she paid to take out books. I think she rented the book for a certain amount of time. The store was like a Hallmark store but not quite as fancy as those of today. At that time, (I was under 5), we did not have a metropolitan library near us. Sometime later, they opened one near us, in an old house. I loved it because I could stop on my way home from school to see what they offered. Spent a lot of time in that old house/library.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #5150 on:** May 23, 2011, 01:44:05 PM »

AdoAnnie - when I was a child, Boots (ie The Chemists) had a lending library that my mother used to use - i do remember going there with her, and very occasionally you pick up a book in a jumble sale that still has the Boots stamp inside it.

Harrods had one too, but we did not aspire to those lofty halls in those days!

Barb - here we already have the London Library, which is a kind of private library that you can borrow from in person or by post - I do not belong to it (it's not cheap) but if that's the way things are going, then I too would be happy to support a private library (perhaps then they would have to get more of the books I want and fewer of the ones I don't!!!!). I do get the impression that your US libraries encourage much more community involvement than ours do - ours are very much them and us (they being the Council), they do not want (or look happy to receive) books from us, they do not want us to volunteer to do anything - it's a shame as places like Steph's library sound great to me.

Rosemary

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #5151 on:** May 23, 2011, 01:49:00 PM »

Yes, Ann that was my experience when my children were pre-school and we still lived in Lexington - we did have a lovely library that did have a membership fee that was not too high but in addition the pharmacy had a book shelf with the latest fiction in hardback - seems to me it was 10 cents for 5 days and then a nickle for each day past the five days.

I remember one book did take me longer - Captain from Castile - whew what a tome that was - the movie only told less than half that story. It was convient since the pharmacy was next to the grocery story and at the time we like most only had one vehicle that as I recall one day a week my husband car pooled which meant coming home at regular time - since he was working on a big project overtime was usual and because of his position there was no extra pay but they all did it... and so my having the car one day a week I was dashing here and there including any doctor visits and having the opportunity to pick up a book for ten cents was a gift.

When the children were a bit older closer to school age we used to walk to the big library and spend hours there - it was a big old house surrounded by lovely gardens and the children's library was the entire second floor. There were various events for the children to read poetry from a stage - my son loved it but it was such a challenge for my then very shy daughter. She was very brave and did one - I think it was the Owl and the Pussycat - She was so shy till she was in about the 8th grade. She used to stand behind her older brother and whisper to him what she had to say and then he would talk for her.

But back to pay for reading a book - electronic books may be a boon but as the computer reduced newspapers and hardback Encyclopedias there are more folks who have access to both because of the internet however, there are still newspapers being printed and Encyclopedias in Libraries and sold to some folks who like shuffling pages and reading with books propped up on tables and chairs.

marjifay · « **Reply #5152 on:** May 23, 2011, 08:26:31 PM »

Barb, I love your description -- "Like many of you I too prefer to be surrounded by books - walls of books - closets and drawers of books - table tops piled high with books..."

Sounds like my house...

What a doll of a daughter you have.

Marj

pedln · « **Reply #5153 on:** May 23, 2011, 10:37:09 PM »

We lived in Newport, RI the first year of marriage and I remember joining the Redwood Library there, established by Benj. Franklin. $12 per year. As I recall, it was a very welcoming place. Can't say the same for the public library there, for if you were Navy you had to leave a deposit. I suppose they'd had their problems with people shipping out with the books. Since I was teaching in Newport I didn't have to pay the deposit, but I still preferred the Redwood.

Hopefully things have changed in the past 50 years.

Steph · « **Reply #5154 on:** May 24, 2011, 06:02:37 AM »

O h my, such memories. When my older son was born, we lived in Myrtle Beach, SC, which in 1961 was a pure beach town..The public library let you check out older books, but if you wanted to read current stuff, you had to pay a daily or weekly fee. I would guess since way too many summer guest took off with the books. I was on a very very strict budget and I had to carefully plan if I wanted to read a current book, but I did discover all sorts of authors that I had never heard of in the free section. Life is fun in very unusual ways sometimes.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #5155 on:** May 24, 2011, 01:29:10 PM »

Fees at libraries - they were seldom receiving any funds from the city budget - they were most often an outcome of a major bricks and mortar donation followed by the personal libraries of books bequeathed in various wills to the established private library open to the community through membership. Churches had libraries open on Sunday after services - and of course colleges and universities had libraries opened to alumni.

That would be interesting to trace when libraries were made part of the city or state budget. Certainly this happened during our lifetime.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #5156 on:** May 24, 2011, 01:40:53 PM »

This year, 2011 July has 5 Fridays, 5 Saturdays and 5 Sundays. This happens once every 823 years.

Kinda interesting - read on!!!

This year we're going to experience four unusual dates.

1/1/11, 1/11/11, 11/1/11, 11/11/11 and that's not all...

Take the last two digits of the year in which you were born - now add the age you will be this year,

The results will be 111 for everyone in whole world.

pedln · « **Reply #5157 on:** May 24, 2011, 10:37:41 PM »

That's fascinating Barb. I just sent that on to several friends.

And for the little ones, it comes out at 11.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #5158 on:** May 25, 2011, 03:07:44 AM »

Barb - it's also addictive! I find I keep doing the sums in my head - and it really does come out that way, even with my arithmetic.

I have just bought - from the local hospice shop - a book called Cassandra at the Wedding by Dorothy Baker. It appears to be a "modern classic" - has anyone read it?

Rosemary

Steph · « **Reply #5159 on:** May 25, 2011, 06:05:09 AM »

Never heard of Dorothy Baker.. Hmm..
Yesterday started a trial awaited for three years here. A young single mother accused of murdering her two year old. The Casey Anthony trial.. I just decided to watch a few opening minutes and ended up riveted all day. I never ever watch that sort of television, but oh me, this one is very very different.. The women is one of those people who cannot seem to be truthful,. She lied so much at the beginning that I honestly feel she got arrested because of it. Her attorney yesterday said the death was a drowning accident and that she was sexually abused by her father and brother. The prosecution put her father on the stand as first witness. He did an excellent job of defending himself and the criminal attor ney seemed scattered to put it mildly. Oh me.. an addiction.

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Author Topic: The Library (Read 2088639 times)