Sahamamama Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 My sweet husband was recruited to carry a laundry basket full of books out to the van, and he commented :glare: on how many books we go through around here. I mentioned how wonderful it is that we have a 9-branch system, we can place books on hold via the Internet, and we only live 5 minutes away. We go to the library at least 3x/week. Yeah, we're nuts, but it's free. How about you? How long does it take you to get to "your" library -- the one you use, the one you consider worth going to (or not?). How does your drive time impact your usage of this resource? :bigear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caitilin Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 We live 23 miles out of town, so everything takes us at least 30 minutes to get to, including the library. Plus we have to pay $60 a year to belong, since our (stupid? short-sighted?) little town opted not to join the network when it had the chance. So, while our dinky town has a library, we never use it--they never have any of the books we need. :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sahamamama Posted February 8, 2010 Author Share Posted February 8, 2010 We live 23 miles out of town, so everything takes us at least 30 minutes to get to, including the library. Plus we have to pay $60 a year to belong, since our (stupid? short-sighted?) little town opted not to join the network when it had the chance. So, while our dinky town has a library, we never use it--they never have any of the books we need. :glare: I'll have to remember this every time I get that longing to live out in the country! I can't imagine homeschooling 6 kids without a good library, as books can be expensive, but then I'm sure the country has its compensations. Thanks for posting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myfatherslily Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 I go just over 30 minutes, but rarely do we only use the library. We're 15 minutes from anything at all and do alot of other things in the same town as our favorite library. We do have 2 libraries which are 15 min. away but the farther one gives us sooo much more:) The new policy this year is for out-of-county residents (us!) to pay $50 for a library card. After I heard about it, I stood there looking at our stack of books and realized it would cost us at least $50 to buy just those! So yeah, it's totally worth it:) We go about once a week. My dream is to live within walking distance! What could possibly be more fun than a walk to the library?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 It depends on if I'm speeding or not. Both speeding tickets I've ever gotten were while I was on the way to the library.:blushing: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chels~ Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 Our library is across the street from us :). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisy Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 Local library is about a mile and a half away. Big library is about 10 miles away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lakotajm Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 We live 45 minutes from any town with a library. We choose to go to the town that is an hour away because my granny lives there and we go to homeschool coop there and dd's do sports there. It is easier to consolidate these to being in that town since we can crash at her house for the 2-3 day span. So we go to the library there-an hour's drive. We pay a fee-I think it's $36/year. I'm ok with that. Lakota Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sasharowan Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 I voted 10-20 because it is 15 min to the one we go to weekly. It is where all my kids have done story time. We lived right behind it when we first moved here and when we moved to our house and were expecting #2 within a month after the move, I decided to make the drive and keep something unchanged for ds. Then his last year in storytime, his best friends sister started so he helped her get used to it. Then dd and ds2 started going. We actually had a break before ds3 started but chose the same one since all the kids knew the librarians really well. There is one a mile from the house that we go to when we are just out looking for books and 2 others about 15 min. that we go to on occasion also. I love the countywide card system that they have here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeeBeaks Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 30 minutes by foot :001_smile: Less than 5-10 minutes by car, including loading people up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myfatherslily Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 Our library is across the street from us :). Soooo jealous.... :drool: :001_tt1: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 Our library is two blocks from where we live. We can walk in nice weather. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SproutMamaK Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 My library is very small, but you can order books online from any other library in the region and they'll send it right on over. It's one small city block away - about a 3 minute walk with toddlers in tow. Don't hate me. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amira Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 30 minutes by foot :001_smile: Less than 5-10 minutes by car, including loading people up. Same here. I nearly always walk to the library. I think I've driven there twice in the past year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie Laurie Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 I live between 2 branches which are both 5 min away in different directions. But my favorite branch is about 10 min away and we go to that one most often. We also love our huge downtown library but it's about 25 min away so we go to that one less often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sahamamama Posted February 8, 2010 Author Share Posted February 8, 2010 It depends on if I'm speeding or not. Both speeding tickets I've ever gotten were while I was on the way to the library.:blushing: :lol::lol::lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sahamamama Posted February 8, 2010 Author Share Posted February 8, 2010 Our library is across the street from us :). Oh, I am so incredibly jealous of you. I am turning green now. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Girls' Mom Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 There are 3 within 5 minutes, and several more within 15-20 minutes. I can walk to the closest one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 About 30 minutes, but so is just about everything else. We used to go once or twice a week when the girls were doing gymnastics nearby. Now I aim for every other week. On the up side, the Bookmobile comes to our development twice a month. That's still about 1.5 miles away, but it comes right to the building where we have our homeschool group on the same day of the week! Our selection is pretty good. The best hs resources are "reference", so we can't check them out, but I can't complain too much. We can pull from about 4 or 5 different branches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nukeswife Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 The closest one to me is under 10 minutes away (more like 5) and it's the main branch. I can also put books on hold from any of the city wide branches and pick them up at the one closest to me. We don't use it very often though because the books are pretty beat up and we've had some terrible luck of getting books, reading half way through only to find out the next 3 pages have been torn out, or we get an audio book and take it home to find it's cracked. We are going to go back and see if things have gotten any better since we complained about these issues. They also have a habit of not checking things back in and then 3 months later they send me a letter saying I have a book that's been overdue for 3 months and they want full price for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meet me in paris Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 1.5 miles for our little branch... about twice a month we go to the big main branch for browsing, but I have all my holds sent down the street. Best of both worlds! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Rat Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 I love our library system! I can request as many books as I want. I can check out 50 per card and renew 2 times for a total of 9 weeks. Although the branch closest to us doesn't have the best children's section, we have a huge sytem and can get so many books! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetfeet Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 Our closest library is less than 10 minutes away, but I rarely go there. Instead, I have my dh bring home the books I've reserved in and he takes them back. He works at the library, and yet, I still have over due books.:lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m0mmaBuck Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 We live about 10 minutes away and go at least once/week. The library system consists of 27 libraries, 5 cooperative libraries, and 3 community kiosks. We can request books via internet and they can be pulled from any of the 35 locations. I love our library system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 We live less than a mile from the library. Yay! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlebug42 Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 We are about three blocks from our library - one of the great selling points of our home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 We live 23 miles out of town, so everything takes us at least 30 minutes to get to, including the library. Plus we have to pay $60 a year to belong, since our (stupid? short-sighted?) little town opted not to join the network when it had the chance. So, while our dinky town has a library, we never use it--they never have any of the books we need. :glare::iagree:Same here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pamela H in Texas Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 our library is about 15-17 minutes unless there is a train...then it's 20+. The library in the other town is probably closer, but not sure they'd let us go there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BridgeTea Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 6 mile drive. It takes me 7 minutes, tops. :auto: I have a lead foot and I am pushing my luck. We've used this library since 1987. We've helped remodel it twice. When I lived in town, we walked or biked the few blocks to the library. Now we drive, and grumble about the lack of parking spaces like everyone else. We are working on finding a new location for our library for this very reason! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atozmom Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 We live about 7 minutes from our main branch library. We go once, sometimes twice, a week. It is only a few years old, so still very nice. We can also make purchase suggestions. Every suggestion I have made so far, they have purchased. I love our online service too. Request from any library in the area and choose which one you want it delivered to. Another great perk, it has a great little bookstore inside run by volunteers. They sell donated books, which helps fund the library. I have purchased books for as little as 25 cents. We purchased the entire Twilight series for only $8. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HRAAB Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 Our library is 1.5 miles away. I can request books from libraries in two counties, have them delivered to our library and pick them up. It's the resource that I use the most. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 (edited) We have a nice ILL loan system, and a fantastic library 5mins away. Yet, the best browsing library is a hike, esp when you figure in parking etc., and yet totally worth it! I can't think of anything more important to a hs family than a good library. We have so much daily freedom as hsers--- nobody is telling us where to go or where to be. A bi weekly 30-45 min drive to a fantastic resource is like a drive to Santa's Village to us. (And at least we don't have to walk an hour to and an hour back for fresh water.) It's all relative. We westerners and North Americans are quite spoiled. Edited February 8, 2010 by LibraryLover Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 (edited) It takes 15 minutes. We visit the library when we head out in that direction. I always combine errands when I can to save time and gas. Also, with a toddler we never stay long. :tongue_smilie: My mom's library has a home delivery option. You can request a book online and have it sent to your house and then you mail it back in the prepaid envelope. I drool when I think of that. Edited February 8, 2010 by Kleine Hexe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrs.m Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 I LOVE our library! I couldn't HS without it! Interlibrary loans are 50 cents. I have yet to encounter a book that I couldn't get my hands on through ILL. It's takes a couple weeks but it's worth it to plan ahead because it saves me so much money! I can put books on hold online and pick them up at the front desk. I LOVE this feature because sometimes I'll just run in a grab what I need. NO overdue fines! And we have a 3 week loan period on books. 1 week on DVDs. Free access to foreign language lessons online, free access to tumblebooks, overdrive audio books, etc. It's wonderful! And it's about 15 minutes from my house and we usually go once every 5-7 days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 We are 15 minutes from 3 different libraries. I also live on the boarder of another state, of which, we can use the library system (30minutes away). They will ship books for $2 and as an educator, they come with a 6 week check out. I happily pay the $2 and have many things mailed to me from there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 In 6 weeks I'll be within walking distance. *g* And I can put books on hold on the internet, too. I can't WAIT!!!:D:D:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
courtney.byrum Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 5 mins walk to our local library - but it's very small. 25 min drive to the one we really like to go to though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassenach Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 We have one in under 10 minutes, but I voted 10-20 because we never go to that one. The one that we go to is less than 15min, but more than 10. It's a much nicer library and totally worth the 7 or 8 extra minutes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 We are about a five minute walk away. The kids frequently go there on their own or hang out there when I'm upstairs with another kid at a scout meeting. The library isn't huge. It's just a base library that would seem like a pretty small branch in other communities. But they are helpful, have lots of classics and will try to get all sorts of stuff if I ask for it. When we move again, I don't know if I'll be thrilled because we'll have access to a big library or frustrated that I have to drive across town to get to one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keptwoman Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 We live about 5 minutes drive from the nearest library but I choose to use a system in a different municipality so we drive 45 minutes to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoyfulMama Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 I voted under 10 minutes, as that is our local branch. We don't have a grocery store that close - but we have a library!!!!!!! :lol: We go there weekly, and I can reserve books (2 per card) from other branches - and we usually have multiple waiting for us. The main branch (where most of the books I want are actually in the archives) is about 35 minutes away. We also go weekly to another library (another county) which is 25 minutes away each week. I can reserve more books there, but they don't seem to have as many as my home county. They do, however have a larger building, HUGE children's area, and less parking. :001_huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaT Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 Our library is about 10 minutes away. I reserve books from other branches often and go about once a week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haiku Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 We have twenty branches in our county system, and we also have three independent libraries. I have seven branches within 10 minutes of me. I go to the library about every 10 days. I reserve everything online and pick it up at the desk. We used to spend a lot of time browsing, but we don't anymore. We have enough books at home for the kids to browse. Tara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 I can walk there is less than 5 minutes. It is sooooooo wooooonderful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 We are less than 5 minutes by car, but we rarely go. Their selection is :glare:, even system wide they don't carry a lot of what we need. We have a ton of books at home and ds is a slow reader. There is a much nicer library 30 minutes away, still the same system. Sometimes I'll go there because its open on Sundays. If ds were younger I might find our library more useful but at his age the selections thin out considerably. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kpupg Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 Our town does not have a library, so I pay $80 a year for a card in the neighboring county's county-wide library system. We drive 30 min one-way, once a week. Karen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmoira Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 I live three blocks from my local branch. It's small, but most of my business there is picking up books on hold. We're a 15-20 minute bus ride to the central library downtown, if we're going to make a day of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionfamily1999 Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 We have two, the good college library (1 hour) and the closer local library (10-20). I voted for the closer one, because we use it more often. The books are due every 2 weeks, whereas the college library lets us keep them a month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardening momma Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 10-20 minutes. We have one branch that's 10 minutes away, but I don't like it. It's in an older building, and while it has some great historical character, the library is on two floors. They totally renovated the children's section (about half of the 2nd floor) about a year ago. It looks great, but there are no card catalog computers in the children's area. There are a few on the other side of the librarian's desk, but those seem reserved for studying/research. When I asked where I needed to go to look up books in the catalog, I was directed to a glass-enclosed room at the far end. I had to take dc with me, which meant I had to interrupt their play. I prefer to go to the branch that's 20 minutes away, as everything is on one floor (they built this branch about 5 years ago), and there is a computer right in the book section of the children's library. So I can browse for books in their card catalog and then look for them on the shelves while my kids are there playing (they have a huge supply of puppets there for kids to play with). The third branch is well over 30 minutes away from me, so I've never been there. They also have a Bookmobile, so I can select that as the location I want to pick up the books I put on hold. During the winter they stop in my area once a week, and then it's just a 5 minute drive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenn in Mo Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 I'm a hair over an hour away from ours. I have to pay a fee equivalent to that county's taxes ($50.00) to join each year. It is so worth it. I can order any books they don't carry and have them sent to my library. If the book isn't in their mobius system, they will purchase the book to put in circulation. It has many branches, but I only use the one - they deliver books from other libraries to my favorite. I can reserve books online. I can renew overdue books online. Each book is allowed out for 3 weeks. I can renew them twice, giving me 9 weeks per book as long as no one has a hold on it. And they have an awesome gift shop and an even more awesome coffee shop that knocks the pants off of Panera with their sandwiches, salads, and treats. We make the drive just for the library alone. (insert blissful sigh) I think I'm due for a library run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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