Libraries never have book copies!

[Anonymous]

I’m an avid reader and my prior county’s library often had tons of books I wanted to read. I moved to Loudoun about 7 years ago and pretty much haven’t had any luck since. I tried reading ebooks because you can get them easier but I just didn’t enjoy reading them as much.

For my birthday this year I got about 10 books and have enjoyed reading physical books again. So I made a list of all the books I wanted to read and… the library didn’t have a single one of them. The best I could get was a copy that would be available in 10 weeks. These aren’t brand new books, but they are popular ones. Part of the problem is that I like reading series and obviously I need to get them in the order I want to read them, which makes it really hard with library books. When books do come up in the queue for me, I’m in the middle of a different series and can’t drop everything to read the library books then.

Anyone else run into this issue? I wouldn’t even mind buying books, but it seems like a waste because I only want to read it once and would just donate after. Why isn’t book rental a thing?

[Anonymous]

Thrift stores? Or buy used books from thriftbooks or a lot of goodwills have an online bookstore.

I've gotten good at managing library holds. Play around a little with requesting them further ahead and using the "manage my hold" feature to suspend your hold once it becomes available so that you can get it when you want it. It takes some practice and, yeah, it's free so you might have to wait sometimes for popular books.

[Anonymous]

I signed up for a DC library card to supplement my MCPL Card. It is amazing how much better MCPL. I think it is a funding issue. I did not bother to pick up the DC card.

[Anonymous]

Op here. At my previous library I didn’t have to wait for books unless I was getting books <1 year old. I would just request a book and it would arrive in under a week from a library within the county.

Also- can’t find copies of books for my kids either, so it’s not just adult books.

[Anonymous]

Join multiple libraries. I keep a huge holds list so always have something in hand. It is really hard when you’re on fire to read something in particular or a series in order. Sometimes I rely on kindle for that. Also check large print.

[Anonymous]

I would just like to commisserate and I'm in Chicago suburbs. My library has completely gone downhill since 10 years ago. I used to browse the shelves and they had pretty much any book I could think of. Now the shelves are more than 50% empty and every single book looks brand new. I am into science fiction and they had ZERO books by the science fiction authors everyone knows. Not that they were checked out -- they had to be ordered from another town! It takes weeks to get anything.
In the kids' section, I was looking for Roald Dahl and Beverly Cleary to take home for my kids. Nothing. Not one book. I asked the librarian and she said I could order something. How could a kids' section not have these books?

[Anonymous]

Examples of book you can't find OP?

[Anonymous]

Then vote for candidates who believe in funding libraries.

[Anonymous]

I'm currently #116 for a popular new title in MoCo's libraries. But most titles I request online and they'll have it at my local branch in a few days.

Another trick at least in MD is to use the state-wide borrowing service (Marina). Usually somewhere in the state they'll have it.

[Anonymous]

I scour ebook sales every day and buy many books in advance. That way I have always something to read and it bothers me less when I am #500 on the list.

[Anonymous]

Buy the books — then donate them to local libraries. I’ve donated books to libraries and schools in Baltimore, and they were very happy to get them. My local library was small, and I actually saw books that I donated out on the shelves.

If you really prefer book “rental” then buy new or excellent copies — then sell them.

[Anonymous]

I shop thriftbooks.com. Never buy books that are the lowest grade. I had a hardback come with a split spine once.

[Anonymous]

Alibris.com for popular books. It's cheaper to get a book delivered for Texas than a burrito from downtown.

[Anonymous]

I'm in Montgomery County...I have to plan ahead. I can't just walk in to my closest library and expect them to have what I'm looking for. I go on the website and search the catalog at home. I can easily click Place Hold and they will transit the book to my Home library.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Examples of book you can't find OP?

NP. Anything by the booktok authors has a wait list that's super long- Maas, Armentrout, Yarros (292 people waiting for her most recent book and I'm sure even more want it but are discouraged by the wait so they don't even both placing a hold). I like all fantasy though.

But I also couldn't find anything on the shelves for my kids either. I like to read chapter books at night to them. There wasn't any Percy Jackson! I probably could order from other libraries for those books, but I don't spend as much time trying to source kid books as I do my own.

Surprisingly I can find audiobooks much easier than ebooks. It seems they have unlimited copies of those. Wish I could read the actual books though.