I walked into this place because I refused to buy another copy of Bel Canto. I purchased the book a few years ago when either Barnes and Noble or Borders was having a”buy two get one free” promotion and I never got around to reading it. I started selling books online and decided I was never going to read Bel Canto so I should sell it. I judged it by it’s cover and I deemed it “sellable”.

Fast forward a few more years and I learn about Lucy Grealy and her best friend Anne Patchett (author of Bel Canto). Now, it was a mission, I read Grealy’s book and I needed to read her best friend. I kept looking for it in bargin bins and never found it.

I heard about this place that gives you a card and you can borrow books. All you have to do is promise to give the books back in two weeks. It’s funny because I used to visit this place all the time as a child, yet as a snobby adult I purchased all my books.

I’ve been unemployed for a year now. My addiction to books and learning is huge. I had to go to the library.

I felt like an ass because I had no idea how to find things. I couldn’t even figure out where books were in the place. I swallowed my pride and asked the librarian for help.

She was great. I found Bel Canto and two other books by authors I heard my professors talk about in class. I also learned about this agreement all libraries have with one another. If I can’t find what I want at my library, I can look in other libraries, ask for the book, and it gets sent to my local library. I am waiting on three books to come in for me and I am so excited.

How amazing is this service!

How horrible Governor Christie wants to take this service away.

I’m sure on paper it must look like a huge waste of money. But think about all the people who use this service. People who maybe can’t drive all over the place looking for a particular book. How about the people who pack the books and ship them out? What about the service that ships the books?

Is this service really such a waste?

I’m only sorry I didn’t know about it sooner. I knew college libraries did this but I didn’t know my local library did and I feel stupid. I was so set against using the library and for what? Because I wanted to spend my money on books I never read and sold for peanuts on the internet?

Libraries are important government fixtures and they serve and help the community. Let’s all stop spending money on books and spending our time at the library. We can all be amazed what they can offer us and it is all for free.