Tha Library

I'm going to update my thoghts and feelings on the library. I think in was back in March that I posted a tirade about the evil grossness of the library, but after months on going there to get my book fix I think I have changed my mind.

It's still gross, I have to wipe off most books with a Clorox wipe before I open them, but I think I have begun to understand that magical mystery coolness of the library.

I used to have a $300/month book habit. I would order with abandon from Amazon and walk out of Barnes and Noble with armfulls of books. I would wind up with some clunkers, some absolute trash, and a rare diamond. I didn't care. I had the money to spend and they looked beautiful on my shelves.

Now that I am no longer working I have had to find another way to feed my massive appetite for books. I started going to the library out of pure raw desire to have a new book in my hand. And I'm not talking about $15 paperbacks. I love giant Tashen and Rizzoli books with glossy full spread photos, a full 3 lb weight, and over 400 pages of high brow text. Those kinds of books are not in my price range anymore, but I have since stumbled upon them at the library.

The past few months I have come to know the shelves of the library as well as the shelves at my local Barnes and Noble. When I first ranted about the library I had yet to find the travel books, the history books, or even the fiction section. I had forgotten how to use a card catalog and the Dewey decimal system. Now that my mind has been reintroduced to this wonderfullness I can take full advantage of the library.

I can walk out with stacks just as big as the ones I used to buy from B&N, only now there is no buyers remorse, or credit card guilt. If a book is sucky, I can take it back the next day. If it is a good read, I can return it when I am done, if the book is a true diamond I will hunt for it on Abe Books and hopefully but it for $1 and know that it is worth every penny (plus shipping and handling).

I can't say that I will always use the library, but for now it is making me tolerably happy. As soon as I am able, I will be right back to my book spending habits, but I will proably still use the library to seek out only the really good books to add to my at home library.