Shoutout to my local library for cutting my book budget from $40 a month to zero in about 90 days.

I used to think buying every new release was the only way to read it, but getting a library card and using their app for holds changed my whole view on entertainment spending.

3 comments

3 Comments

nancy81718d ago

Remember the library also gets your ebook and audiobook loans counted toward author payments. My holds list is crazy long, but I know each borrow helps the writer way more than a used bookstore buy. It feels good to support stories without the clutter or cost.

willowh2018d ago

Something that gets missed is how library holds create buzz for new authors before a book even hits shelves. All those people waiting in line for the digital copy... that's data publishers actually look at when deciding what to print next. So your long holds list does more than just pay the writer a bit, it helps other writers like them get deals in the first place. Kind of wild that just by joining a waitlist, you're voting for what stories get told tomorrow.

lily7018d ago

Totally see that shift happening with music and movies too. People want the thing without owning the physical stuff. Streaming a song pays the artist something, buying a used CD from a thrift store pays nothing. Feels like we are all slowly renting our culture instead of keeping it. Libraries just got there first with books.