Anonymous
Post 05/28/2025 23:00     Subject: Libraries never have book copies!
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
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.


I’m in MoCo and some popular books have hundreds of people in the queue. For example, I recently put James on hold and it was over 600. Similarly for The Women soon after it came out- I think I was #500 something.

But even with less popular/less recent books, there’s a good chance that the closest library doesn’t have it. I just order it from another branch. I guess I don’t expect every possible book to be available at the closest branch.



Why can’t they work with publishers to get more copies of ebooks temporarily the first year? They do have audiobooks.
Anonymous
Post 05/28/2025 13:59     Subject: Libraries never have book copies!
Anonymous wrote:
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.


I’m in MoCo and some popular books have hundreds of people in the queue. For example, I recently put James on hold and it was over 600. Similarly for The Women soon after it came out- I think I was #500 something.

But even with less popular/less recent books, there’s a good chance that the closest library doesn’t have it. I just order it from another branch. I guess I don’t expect every possible book to be available at the closest branch.

Anonymous
Post 05/28/2025 13:52     Subject: Libraries never have book copies!
Anonymous wrote:The problem with physical books is that people have to make a trip to the library to return them, then they need to be checked in and reshelved, so it's a slow process to move up the waitlist. That's one reason why digital copies are so much more available. I sometimes check out a book, read it, and return it all on the same day.

What e-reader did you have? I used to look askance at them too but now I only read on my Kindle paperwhite. Maybe try a newer model.


I've found this isn't always the case. At Fairfax I've found books in the new section available when the Libby hold still has weeks or months.
Anonymous
Post 05/28/2025 13:48     Subject: Libraries never have book copies!
I "freeze" my holds at the library until I'm roughly ready to read them. It helps a lot with the whole I'm reading another series now thing.
Anonymous
Post 05/28/2025 13:34     Subject: Re:Libraries never have book copies!
Anonymous wrote:Book rental is a thing. It’s called the library.


I think they’re looking for a way to pay and get more access.
Anonymous
Post 05/28/2025 12:54     Subject: Re:Libraries never have book copies!
Book rental is a thing. It’s called the library.
Anonymous
Post 05/28/2025 12:50     Subject: Libraries never have book copies!
The problem with physical books is that people have to make a trip to the library to return them, then they need to be checked in and reshelved, so it's a slow process to move up the waitlist. That's one reason why digital copies are so much more available. I sometimes check out a book, read it, and return it all on the same day.

What e-reader did you have? I used to look askance at them too but now I only read on my Kindle paperwhite. Maybe try a newer model.
Anonymous
Post 05/28/2025 12:43     Subject: Libraries never have book copies!
See if you can join other libraries in neighboring counties. I’m in Montgomery County, MD but have cards for Frederick and DC as well. Also, shop used bookstores and thrift shops. I’ve donated a lot of new condition books to goodwill and hear about others finding popular books there. Also shop the friends of the library sales. One other idea is to see if you have friends/neighbors open to swapping books. This used to be pretty common.
Anonymous
Post 05/28/2025 12:27     Subject: Libraries never have book copies!
So here are your reciprocal jurisdictions:

The cities of Falls Church, Alexandria and Winchester
The District of Columbia
Arlington, Fairfax, Fauquier, Prince William, Clarke and Frederick counties in Virginia
Montgomery, Prince George's and Frederick counties in Maryland.

I'd pick one or two based on where you're located and check those out. Make a list, hold them before hand and you can pick up at the counter.
Anonymous
Post 05/28/2025 12:24     Subject: Libraries never have book copies!
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote: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?


Just buy the book and sell it after.


I just can't afford it because I would basically like a book a week x $15. I don't have enough time for online selling.


Just go to thrift books. You can get them for like $3 each.

I like interlibrary loan, but it doesn't sound like you have the time and patience for the leg work (no judgment on that).


I have looked on thrift books, eBay, Amazon- $16 is more like it. A few were $9 but most over $16.

I understand not having room for physical books but why are there unlimited audiobooks but not ebooks?
Anonymous
Post 05/28/2025 12:18     Subject: Libraries never have book copies!
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote: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?


Just buy the book and sell it after.


I just can't afford it because I would basically like a book a week x $15. I don't have enough time for online selling.


Just go to thrift books. You can get them for like $3 each.

I like interlibrary loan, but it doesn't sound like you have the time and patience for the leg work (no judgment on that).
Anonymous
Post 05/28/2025 12:14     Subject: Libraries never have book copies!
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote: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?


Just buy the book and sell it after.


I just can't afford it because I would basically like a book a week x $15. I don't have enough time for online selling.
Anonymous
Post 05/28/2025 12:12     Subject: Libraries never have book copies!
Get your reciprocal Fairfax card for sure. You can put a hold in books and pick them up at a convenient location. I've found stuff browsing at Fairfax that I had a longer Libby hold on.
Anonymous
Post 05/28/2025 12:08     Subject: Libraries never have book copies!
Anonymous wrote: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?


Just buy the book and sell it after.
Anonymous
Post 05/28/2025 12:08     Subject: Libraries never have book copies!
I buy from https://www.thriftbooks.com/ and https://www.wonderbk.com/ a lot, especially for my kids. Then I either donate the books or sell them back locally for store credit.