Just curious...Who buys most of the books they use and who depends on the library?

[KS_]

We buy the books we use - our library is about 20-25 minutes away and just not convenient enough for me to use it that often. They do have some good books, but I think most of the books we own and use, they don't have.

[MicheleinMN]

I buy almost all of the books we'll use. The library often doesn't have what I want or need when we need it. Also, for my high school students we need three copies of the same book, one for each teen and one for me, and I want my teens to be able to take notes/underline in their books, so no library books for us.

 

We do go to the library once or twice a month, but that's for our interest/pleasure/junk reading not for our school books.

 

HTH,

Michele

mom to 6: ds 16, dd 14, ds 11, ds 9, dd 8, and ds 6

[Julie in WA]

We are blessed to have a library 2 minutes from our house, so that is our main source for books. To make life easier I just put whatever I need on hold then pick it up when it's ready. We usually have 10-20 books checked out at any given time. Occasionally we'll buy a book if it's really good.

 

Julie :001_smile:

[erica471]

Well, since I work at the library it makes it really easy :tongue_smilie: But, as a general rule I buy good fiction and check out easy readers and non-fiction. I mostly use the used bookstores in town which have great deals. I also use Amazon a lot. I love my Amazon Prime membership, it has saved me loads of money. I might buy more non-fiction, but since I have only one child it won't be used again:(

[Andie]

We buy most everything.

[katalyst]

I use the library a lot so my ds can pick and chose for himself. I'm lucky, the library is very close to our house. I also use www.paperbackswap.com. This has been a great source for reading list books and to help control the book inventory in my house. I post books I no longer want on the site and when someone requests the books and I mail it I get a credit which I can use for requesting a book from someone else. The has saved me a lot of money especially on fictions books, which my ds can't get enough of, but also on non-ficition, educational, historical fictions.

[magic]

Our library is small and usually does not have what we need. As a result, we buy most of our books. While I do not like the expense, I like having everything on hand and not having to worry about returning anything.

[Jenny in Atl]

Our library stinks. We buy most everything.

 

Ditto... but, I still use both county libraries near by despite my frustration. :banghead:P

[Frontier Mom]

I just get more done when I own the books. There is something about having it on hand and knowing I paid for it that makes me use it more often.

[Melinda S in TX]

We purchase most of our books. I try and get the most bang for my buck by buying used. Also, I try and get books that can be used over a period of time, rather than a one time look through.

 

Our library is ok, but they don't make it easy. They don't usually have what I want. Interlibrary loan cost $2+ per book and you can only ILL three books at a time. You can't request books and have them held for you. You can look books up online to see if they are in, but you must physically pull them yourself. You can only have three books out of each Dewey Decimal section. You can't put books on hold unless they are not in the library. Many times I have been trying to get a certain book, saw it was returned, rushed to the library only to find out someone just checked it out.

 

For us, going to the library is like practicing firesafety. We visit it a couple of times a year to make sure they know how to use it and then check it off until next year.

 

Melinda S in TX

[JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst]

We buy all our books (since we don't have a library overseas). Of course they come from everywhere-used book sales (when we get home for a visit), thrift stores, used book stores, internet stores, homeschool suppliers and generous friends and relatives. I am glad that we own our books because I find that for literature, history, and science the kids will always revisit them. If something doesn't work for us we are always happy to pass it on to other homeschoolers or sell it to fund the next set of books. Just because it didn't fit our style or wasn't a favorite doesn't mean that someone else might not enjoy it. We are also busy keeping books for the younger one to use.

 

Plus-we are just plain book addic... I mean bibliophiles :001_smile:

[Annie Laurie]

I buy our books. I always feel like I'm juggling, and keeping track of the library is the last thing I need to do. However, this year I chose to go with MFW and that relies heavily on the library. I do have quite a bit of US history related picture books, chapter books, and readers already, and will use those, but there are a lot of great suggestions in the MFW TM also, so I do plan to use the library a lot this year. I'm going to have to get in the habit of looking several weeks ahead so I can reserve the books we'll need on the computer, then I'll ask dh to stop on his way home from work for them. We do have an awesome library system here, so I'm grateful for that.

[sweetbaby]

We are definitely library users here. If you have a library card, you could just about homeschool for free. If we buy books, they have to be el cheapos.

[QuirkyKapers]

I try to purchase all the books I am going to need. I can't ever seem to remember to request books in time for when I need them and than there is always the problem of returning them on time! If there is only a couple I need to get from the library, I do much better. I use the library for all my personal reading. If after reading, I really think I can't live without it, then I look at amazon, alibris or the swap boards to try and find a good deal! I must confess, I am a book junkie- I very rarely meet a book I don't like:) So, the less time I spend at Half price books or bookstores the better for me!

[cin]

I use the library for supplementals, but I buy our spines and other significant books. For example, We are doing FIAR next year, and I'm teaching it in our co-op. I have purchased all of those books. I HAVE to have them, when they're scheduled. I've also purchased several of the books that I'm using with GTG, the ones that are used for more than one chapter.

[Jen in DE]

We do so many activities, that it seems hard to try to fit the library in....I tend to buy a lot of used books, and spend a lot of time at the local thrift stores. I do use the library for their literature, but everything else I like to have on hand.

Jen

[home4fun]

We have around 100 books checked out all the time. My kids love it and it saves a ton of money. I put things on hold and pick them up. Easy and great.

 

Blessings

 

Angie (home4fun)

[Amy loves Bud]

I buy, because our library is a bit of a drive and I'm not organized enough on either the checking out or the returning end of things!

 

BUT, a new branch is opening within walking distance of us in February 2009. I have allowed myself the budget to purchase for our first semester next year and then committed to using the library after that.

[Audrey]

I am preparing for next year and planning to buy one book to go along with each chapter in SOTW. I want to use the library, but the reality is that it's not that close (25 min with all the traffic in my area), I don't think I'll remember to put all the requests in on time to get the books when I want them, and if I do happen to remember to request them, picking them up and then returning them on time may not happen. I don't have a huge budget at all so I am about to start hunting at Half-Price Books and other discount places. I already had some luck at bookcloseouts.com earlier tonight.

 

I was just curious how everyone else did it?

 

 

Well, I depend on the library a LOT. However, I'm also the librarian there, so... ya know... YMMV.

[Part-Time Homeschooler]

I buy all of our books. Sometimes we'll check out audiobooks and movies from the library. If we check out something we absolutely love, I usually go ahead and buy it.

[Pretty in Pink]

I want to use the library, but the reality is that it's not that close (25 min with all the traffic in my area), I don't think I'll remember to put all the requests in on time to get the books when I want them, and if I do happen to remember to request them, picking them up and then returning them on time may not happen.

 

this describes me perfectly, which is why we just buy our books.

 

when we first started HSing 5 years ago i only had one child and a lot more time on my hands so we found ourselves at the library often. 5 years and almost 3 kids later i just don't have the time to do all of the legwork involved in utilizing the library system to its fullest. thankfully my husband's salary has grown as our family has so that buying the books is not a financial burden for us.

[BizyPenguin]

We have many many wonderful libraries in my area. I can walk to a couple of them. I just love libraries and I'm sure I could live in one. LOL! We live in a small house and live on one income, so I rely on libraries as much as possible for homeschooling. We don't have the room to store too many books. (But trust me, we've got quite a few anyway!) Might I add that my dh goes nuts when he sees all of the library books around the house. I have about 35 books and 5 videos checked out right now...but I've been known to max out my card and use my ds's card to check out some books too! (50 is the max in our library system.)

[rafiki]

.

[LaMere Academy]

I told myself that this coming year I'd use the library but...when it comes down to it I want to own those books so I don't have to worry about due dates or anything. Worrying about will I get them right when I need them or will I have to wait...what if I need to renew and can't??

 

I do think I'll use the library on some...but I'm going to buy more than I first had planned on.

[clane]

I'm a book buyer; always have been. Before we had children, I worked at Barnes and Noble on weekends to surround myself with books and the employee discount was nothing to sneeze at either!

 

While I do utilize the library, it is mostly for "fun" reading. There are a good number of homeschoolers in our area and I don't want to be left in a pinch because the book(s) we need are already out. I also have two younger children that will benefit from books purchased for DS.

[moosemomma]

We go to the library every Saturday morning as a family and get books. I always have an interlibrary loan pending, we canceled our netflixs account and opted to check out DVDs at the library instead. We keep about 40 books out at a time. I love the library - couldn't afford homeschooling without it.

 

Jill

[nmoira]

I'm a book buyer, and I live less than 5 minutes from the library bookstore and 10 minutes from Powells.

[...................]

Our children's section is not huge by any means. But I have found that whenever I look up a topic I can find tons of appropriate non-fiction books on the topic, without having to place holds.

 

To me, using the library and occasionally ordering from Amazon, and keeping an Amazon wishlist, is part of showing my children how they should be when they grow up. To use the library systems is a responsible way to continually educate oneself. Anywhere in America, at any time, one can homeschool one's children, teach oneself any topic, use many services and occasionally request books, for free.

 

I know a friend that has used almost no curriculum at all, not even math and educated her daughter all the way through fourth grade. Only the library and an occasional printout from the computer, copywork, occasional purchases from Walmart or the Teacher's supply store. Her daughter is extremely interesting and intelligent, won her spelling bee (though she never had one day of spelling instruction in her life, just studying the dictionary and spelling bee book in the weeks leading up to the bee and reading a LOT), and she is now talking about World War 2. They don't do notebooking, or timelines, she just reads and discusses.

 

I'm not advocating this method for every homeschooler. Obviously my friend has a special child and is very in tune to finding specifics for her dd...I'm just saying that the library is such an invaluable resource.

 

What I would perhaps do, is find some books that you can't get at the library and just get those...Christian books, D'Aulaire books, CHOW...things like that. OUr library carries all the Kingfisher books, DK books, eyewitness books, and much much more.

 

Lastly, my kids LOVE to get new books and get into them every week. They get tired of the same books, even if we are reading only a chapter at a time interspersed with other books.

 

I don't have a car, and our library also takes 20 minutes with traffic. I borrow a car once a week, and am able to get to the library. If your budget is tight, and you set a day every week, you CAN get there...but I do not recommend trying to place holds. They come in at the wrong time often, and take time to place. Just hit the computer when you get there.

[Mosaicmind]

We use Sonlight and I will use two cores this next year. I figured out my time, distance to library, and gas it would take to get there versus buying all the books. Buying the books was definitely cheaper and my library is only 5minutes away from me.

 

I say buy the books because they are always available to read even when they aren't required.

[Parrothead]

When we lived in an area with a great library and librarians we went to the library for books often. Now that we are living in an area without a great library I buy most of the books we well use.

[Lisawa]

I tend to buy as much as I can. I hit 2 used curriculum sales each year, plus take the summer to find used online. By mid August, If I have not found what I want/need for cheap, then I buy new.

 

We have a similar situation like you Jennefer, I’m about 25 minutes one way form the library, I would just rather have it and build a home library. Although we still use the library and its a great one. Its just better for us not to worry about the late fees and the time it takes to go get the books.

 

I can reserve and renew online.... but it still takes time and effort, and I have enough going on. The longer you home school, the less you will find yourself buying. *Ü* It gets better...

[benjabber]

My home library card and the $30/year I spend to be able have access to surrounding libraries is my biggest homeschool resource! I depend on the library, but I am also fortunate to have access to some great libraries.

It would sure cramp my style if we moved and didn't have good libraries around, but I'm sure we'd adjust and make things work. Thankfully places like the Sale/Swap boards here help cut down on the overall cost of some materials!