itsheresomewhere Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 There is a library near me that is not part of the inter loan system. It is for residents of that town. It is a huge library and has many offerings. I found out today that I could join it for 75 a year. For members- they have science classes for kids, language classes for kids, and a special system for audiobooks for kids who have disabilities. 75 is a lot to me but look at the things we can do. Our local library has nothing but surly people and a lack of books I want. Most are not even in the inter loan program. So would you join it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 Because of the inadequacies of my local library, I pay $35 for a library card in the neighboring county. When my son was in high school, we paid an additional $15 for a community card at the university. This is a whole lot cheaper than Amazon... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustybug Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 I wouldn't because we have a local science center and art museum who have some of the things you list. They have "free friday" every couple of weeks, so I can get in without paying admission then. The classes can be paid for one at a time as well. Our library is pretty good though, although I do wish I could use the one that is one county over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KS_ Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 I wouldn't, but faced a similar situation when we moved back to this area. The city library wasn't allowing county residents to have a free card and were charging $80 a year. I opted to start building my own library instead. Since then, they have changed and allow county residents a free card. If you think you'd use it enough and make use of the other classes they have, it might be a good deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 For the conditions you describe, yes, I would. $75 seems reasonable to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T'smom Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 I absolutely would. But I am a library addict. You should be able to use interlibrary loan wherever you are. I'd ask a couple different librarians about it. (not all will be as well-versed in the procedures) I've lived in several states and worked in two libraries and both sent/received books from ALL OVER. Now I live in MI and they seem to only do ILL within the state, but that's still a lot of libraries and I can almost always get what I want. The only time I haven't gotten what I wanted was when a book was shelved as reference......even though I didn't really think it was reference..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrapbookbuzz Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 Yep, I've done that. The neighboring town's library branches seem to be more open and inviting than ours. We used to have a great county library down the street from us but then it closed. So, yes, if it seems worth it to you, it probably is! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 Yes, it sounds like a great opportunity and $75 for a year is pretty cheap if you think about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer3141 Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 For $75 a year, you'd get all that?? YES, I'd join in a minute. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 I've considered paying to join a library simply to get a better selection of e-books for checkout. if there were a good library near me that offered a lot of books and extras, I'd be willing to pay to join. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsheresomewhere Posted February 27, 2012 Author Share Posted February 27, 2012 I wouldn't, but faced a similar situation when we moved back to this area. The city library wasn't allowing county residents to have a free card and were charging $80 a year. I opted to start building my own library instead. Since then, they have changed and allow county residents a free card. If you think you'd use it enough and make use of the other classes they have, it might be a good deal. That is what I am trying to figure out. We own tons of books and I don't know if we would check out a lot but the classes sound really good. I think it might be a way for my oldest to meet other kids who have interests like him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiebird Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 I did for 5 years just to get access to a library because we were rural. Then we moved (same state) to an area where you'd join your town's library, but you could still sign up for activities at other neighboring libraries (and access books though ILL). Now we've moved again and we can still use the neighboring libraries, but only if there's space open after their own residents sign up. They have no option to buy a card though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KS_ Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 That is what I am trying to figure out. We own tons of books and I don't know if we would check out a lot but the classes sound really good. I think it might be a way for my oldest to meet other kids who have interests like him. If you'd use the classes, the cost seems worth it. My kids go through books so fast that it's actually a pain to check them out from the library. They get full bags of books and are finished with them in the next day or two and want to go back. It works better for us to keep books they love and will re-read and fill up their Kindles with free ebooks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shinyhappypeople Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 There is a library near me that is not part of the inter loan system. It is for residents of that town. It is a huge library and has many offerings. I found out today that I could join it for 75 a year. For members- they have science classes for kids, language classes for kids, and a special system for audiobooks for kids who have disabilities. 75 is a lot to me but look at the things we can do. Our local library has nothing but surly people and a lack of books I want. Most are not even in the inter loan program. So would you join it? Yes. In a heartbeat. $75/year works out to $6.25/mo for better books and great enrichment activities for my kiddos. I'd totally do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PinkInTheBlue Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 Due to the condition of my local library, if there were a great library in reasonable distance I'd sign up TODAY! Absolutely. $75 is a serious bargain compared to all the books I'd buy otherwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 Yes I would. Considering the residents pay taxes to cover the cost, so I wouldn't mind doing my part as a non-resident by paying a membership fee. It sounds like this library would have a lot of resources. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In the Rain Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 If I wasn't happy with my local library, I would definitely pay to use a better one. It sounds like they offer a lot of classes and activities for kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TammyinTN Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 For the conditions you describe, yes, I would. $75 seems reasonable to me. Absolutely. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Rat Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 I probably would for $75 a year. That's less than $7 a month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helena Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 I'd do it! If you're strapped for cash, I'd have a garage sale and put that money toward it to help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmos Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 There is a library near me that is not part of the inter loan system. It is for residents of that town. It is a huge library and has many offerings. I found out today that I could join it for 75 a year. For members- they have science classes for kids, language classes for kids, and a special system for audiobooks for kids who have disabilities. 75 is a lot to me but look at the things we can do. Our local library has nothing but surly people and a lack of books I want. Most are not even in the inter loan program. So would you join it? I pay $100 a year for a neighboring library, and it doesn't even have all those offerings. (Or rather, their special offerings are open to everyone, member or not.) It's absolutely worth it for our family. The overwhelming majority of our entertainment is through the library -- books, dvds, audiobooks. Our local library is well-loved, but the bigger library with a much larger collection is very important to us. And it's a wonderful place to hang out. We go do school there once a month or so just for a change of pace. We could do that whether we had a card or not, but it would be no fun to hang out there if we couldn't check anything out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momtoamiracle Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 oh yeah, I'd do it. Our library is almost useless as well...I'm jealous of those with good libraries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 Yes. It is only $6.25 a month at that rate and cheaper than any entertainment and educational opportunity I can think of! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ester Maria Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 Yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mama2Many4 Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 I would. I use the library quite a bit, and would definitely take advantage of classes. They use that money to keep the library open and running. So I say go for it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 I pay $25 per year to use the library in the next county. Our county library is part of a state-wide system but I wasn't impressed. So we pay. With as many books as we borrow I know that $25 is a super bargain. $75? Yeah, for what we'd get, I'd probably pay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alessandra Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 Absolutely, I would join. The new library may also have subscribers' access to a lot of neat ($$) databases that your local library doesn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in CA Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 You should be able to use interlibrary loan wherever you are. I'd ask a couple different librarians about it. (not all will be as well-versed in the procedures) I've lived in several states and worked in two libraries and both sent/received books from ALL OVER. Now I live in MI and they seem to only do ILL within the state' date=' but that's still a lot of libraries and I can almost always get what I want. The only time I haven't gotten what I wanted was when a book was shelved as reference......even though I didn't really think it was reference.....[/quote'] It's not like this everywhere though, the library has no absolute obligation to participate in interlibrary loan systems. Don't ask how I know. :rolleyes: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momof3littles Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 We do. We use two different local libraries. We signed up for one we have to pay to use. It is actually slightly closer than "our" local library. The one we pay for is part of a town that is only for that town's residents, or paying customers. We are just over the line, so it is actually closer than our "local" library. The one we pay to use is finally getting e-books, so that will be a nice option. We use our local library for e-books already, and then we are part of a large city library that offers e-books and free membership. And now we pay for a third library ;) Oh, and DH uses one near his work to pick up movies because they allow one week rentals for free. Our local library charges for movies and they are only 2 night rentals. With young kids, we don't always get to watch the movie on the night we rent it. That was my long-winded yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forget-Me-Not Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 I would definitely consider it. I probably spend more than $75/year on books I can't get through my local library. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 It's not like this everywhere though, the library has no absolute obligation to participate in interlibrary loan systems. Don't ask how I know. :rolleyes: Also many libraries have a charge for ILL. Mine now charges $5 per ILL request. That would add up fast if I had to use it often. Thankfully we have access to two library systems here (city and county) and don't need to use ILL unless it is for out of print, impossible to find sheet music or the like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmoira Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 In your case, I would absolutely join. We are fortunate to have a first class library system, and it makes a big difference in our homeschool and "regular" lives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawneinfl Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 I pay $40 per year to be a part of the library system that is 25 minutes away. Ironically, I usually pay more than that in fines at my local library because they only let you keep things for 2 weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 I pay to use the larger library system 30 minutes away. It's been worth every penny! My local library is much better than I expected, but it's a small town library with no ILL (or if they have it, it was expensive enough that I dismissed the idea). Great for getting basic children's books and some science books and such, but not great for getting specific books for homeschooling. The library I pay for has multiple branches, and I can get a book from any of those branches brought to my branch for free. Love it. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 Yes. If I felt the cost was within my budget and the resources would be useful I certainly would.* I don't think requesting fees for access to private libraries or to libraries in a town that I am not a resident of is unreasonable. Some colleges/universities offer similar opportunities (or at least they did once upon a time). *Especially if they allowed me one of the fabled educator cards with no fines and no time limits on returns. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucy the Valiant Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 Yes. I currently pay $75 / year to our neighboring town's library. (ILL has a lot of restrictions in my state, and everything is town-based, not county-based.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dana Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 I would. I love our library and yet there are a couple books they don't have that our neighboring county does. I pay $35/year for membership to that library. I don't use the library that much, but I really like having it as a resource. Our county membership would be $57/year. (It's really good.) For the additional programs, yup, I'd pay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natalie Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 We would without a doubt. We don't live in an area that belongs to a library district. If we want access to a library at all, we have to pay $40 per year, which we do willingly. We also make an additional donation each year as we are certain it costs them a whole lot more than $40 to cover the costs related to all of our interloan books! It is a very small library and has almost none of the books we look for. The library you are considering sounds absolutely wonderful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mama_Rana Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 There is a library near me that is not part of the inter loan system. It is for residents of that town. It is a huge library and has many offerings. I found out today that I could join it for 75 a year. For members- they have science classes for kids, language classes for kids, and a special system for audiobooks for kids who have disabilities. 75 is a lot to me but look at the things we can do. Our local library has nothing but surly people and a lack of books I want. Most are not even in the inter loan program. So would you join it? YK, I make a donation of about that much every year to our library system because it is awesome and I want to help keep it that way. In your case, I think I'd be tempted to think of it that way. It sounds like a nice place! Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DusksAngel Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 We do. For $50 we get a much larger selection, online access, and many free classes and events. It's been worth every penny. We don't even bother with our local library as they never have what we want/need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMS83 Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 In your situation, yes, I probably would. We are having a similar problem, but I don't think we could afford the gas to get to a neighboring county. I think ours is the only county not on the state's ILL system. :glare: I'm relying heavily on used book sales and a rigorously prioritized book list. Book selection and acquisition has been the bane of my brief planning existence. And what is up with surly librarians, anyway?? DH makes fun of me because I always come back from the library with a story of surliness. I smile and stuff; it can't be me, can it?? Maybe they don't like me because I'm the annoying ditzy lady that can't ever find anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.