I had been a lifelong member of the local library. I liked getting home and lining up a comforting 6 books on my shelf  but quite often couldn't find anything new I hadn't read. Also, there's the constant nag of returning the books on time or paying fines. I discovered RISI about the same time as we moved house so haven't bothered to join the local one here and am relying on all you nice people out there to swap with me!

Having said that though I do find myself hankering after re-joining, there's something about a huge room full of books!  and when I have more time I think I will. I agree that it's a case of "use it or lose it" My children were brought up on a constant diet of library visits and are now as addicted to reading as I am. It's another way of conserving resources anyway, as good as RISI but, dare I say, without the postage. We pay for the service in our Council Tax so might as well benefit from it.

Now reading Dialogue with Death Reginald Hill

i still go to the library, i don't get as many books out as i used to before joining RISI, i take my daughter, she loves it there, takes her coat off as soon as we go in and gets some books and sits on the big cushions they have on the floor!

I am an active supporter of my local mobile library service, not only do I get great books from them, but, also it is a service that will disappear if left unused ....so if you have a library use it in order to keep the service funded and available.

Incidentally, I get all my latest and new release books from my library much quicker than relying on risi or heaven forbid ..buying them new !

I use my local library a lot. I can reserve a book from any library in the area and get it delivered to which ever library I choose. I also take my children there  as it's great for kids books. My local one is only a 10 minute walk from my house or there's a large one in the town centre that I go to as well.

I use the libary quite often, its really handy for those times when you really want a book and your swaps keep getting declined. Also for reserving those new releases that you know you won't get off here for ages. Its really good for my eldest daughter too as she is doing a reading certificate at school and the school doesnt hold all the books that you need to read to get it(i think they do it so your child needs to visit the libary regularly). I got a book out on Thursday by John Connolly that i didnt even know exsisted! and brought a book for 25p so its also handy for building up your book list x

I love my local library. I particularly like the new self issuing computers though they moved all the books round the other week - very confusing. The best thing found out today that they have extended their opening hours to 7 mon- fri so if have a bad day can go there straight off the train - fabulous!

 I find it strange that people use RiSi in preference to the library. When I want a book I check the library systems I'm a member of first, then add it to my wishlists on book trading sites if it's not there. I'd rather get to read a book for free and support the library services than pay out postage.

foreternity:

 I find it strange that people use RiSi in preference to the library. When I want a book I check the library systems I'm a member of first, then add it to my wishlists on book trading sites if it's not there. I'd rather get to read a book for free and support the library services than pay out postage.

I have to say I use RISI mainly because I dont really have the time to go to the library, what with working full time during the week and weekends being spent planning my wedding as well as reading what is on my TBR already lol But once the wedding is over I am resolved to join the library

charnterelle:

I have to say I use RISI mainly because I dont really have the time to go to the library, what with working full time during the week and weekends being spent planning my wedding as well as reading what is on my TBR already lol But once the wedding is over I am resolved to join the library

 Fair enough, I only go to the library once every nine weeks most of the time myself! Oh wait it's twelve weeks now - they've extended the number of times you can renew over the phone or online from two to three :) I always have twelve books out, there's no way I can read them all in three weeks and usually I end up taking most of them in to renew again when my phone renewals are up!

 When I was in my early teens I used to go to the library on Saturday, get eight books out (that was the limit for children), have read them all by Sunday, and then spend my time until the next library trip re-reading old favourites or reading books I'd borrowed from my best friend! Oh the days before TBRs, several-thousand-word essays, and work...

I go to our local library every fortnight with my children and as well as getting a great supply of free books for them I get lots for myself as well.  I inevitably don't get them read over the 3 week loan period but keep track of all our loans using the online service and renew online and best of all, reserve new releases online and have recently got The Third Angel by Alice Hoffman and Change of Heart - Jodi Picoult for a 50p each reservation charge (not all libraries charge for this service).  Of couse all my TBR gets neglected but they're my back up!!

Like others, I usually find enough reading material from the mountain of books from RISI, but I do find my local library really useful for non-fiction books that are hard to come by cheaply elsewhere. The fiction side of things is pretty poor there, which is kind of lucky as I'm not tempted...

 Before finding RISI I used my local libraries alot. I'm lucky that I've got 3 quite close by and another where I work, although I only generally go in to browse these days. I like the ambience of most libraries.

I've recently re-discovered my local library, I hadn't used it for many years and I tried it because I wanted a book that I couldn't get a swap for on here.  I was amazed to find that they are now open on a Sunday as they never used to be and the evening hours are more user friendly than before!  Like others I probably won't use it too often as my own reading pile won't reduce but its good to have the option.

Sundays! Wow wish ours did that.

charnterelle:

I have to say I use RISI mainly because I dont really have the time to go to the library, what with working full time during the week and weekends being spent planning my wedding as well as reading what is on my TBR already lol But once the wedding is over I am resolved to join the library

Is there a library near to where you work Sian so you could go in your lunchbreak? This is why I've joined two Local Authorities so I can use the one near to work in my lunchbreak and a whole host of ones local to where I live at other times.  Most are open until 7pm on at least one week day.