Reader hopelessly in search of books

[callmemadam]

I wrote recently of my intention of borrowing more books from the library. I have just worked with two windows open: Dorset libraries and my Amazon wish list (which is really a list of books I would like to read). *Every single book* I wanted to borrow was either unavailable or would incur borrowing fees. I pay enormously high council tax on a small cottage. I absolutely refuse to pay extra to borrow a book which, if I lived in a city instead of in the sticks, would be easily accessed. This has left me fuming. I’d honestly rather *buy* a book than pay to borrow it. Now all you librarians out there can explain to me why it is essential that I pay two or three pounds to borrow a book when I already pay to support the library system. I shall remain unconvinced.

Comments

library fees.

[(Anonymous)]

I pay 60p to access books from the stores in my county library.And 60p to get a book driven to my local branch from other larger branches,i resent this.Out of fashion books relegated there.

I agree it is unfair and an extra tax often forgotten by the media.
Interlibrary loans are £7 a time---to get books out of the county.Terrible.


ANON

Re: library fees.

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

£7.00 is a lot! I forget how much it is to get a book from outside the county. It's not as if I'm asking for scarce academic works which cost about £150.00.

fees

[(Anonymous)]

My inter library loan fee is £7 per book.WOW!!!!

No wonder i do not use this service.

It is 60p to get a book sent to my local library--it soon adds up.


ANON

Re: fees

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

Yes, 60ps add up and you can get paperbacks for 50p or less at the market. The trouble is when you really want to read a particular book.

fees

[(Anonymous)]

My inter library loan is £7 per book.

No wonder i cannot ask for rare ones like RHODODENDRON PIE by Sharp.

Re: fees

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

Outrageous.

[dozydormouse.livejournal.com]

I am appalled. If I cannot access a book for nothing through the London library service it costs me under £1 to reserve it. The retired unwell and unemployed do not pay at all. I am happy to pay less than the £1.50 it would cost me to fetch it on the bus. High charges are not ok.

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

I'm retired! I still have to pay for everything! I do think it's unfair.

[suzy cuthbert (from livejournal.com)]

All borrowing and reserving FREE in Suffolk and they buy every book I suggest too - No longer run by the council, hardly any paid staff but wonderful.

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

Wow, lucky you. The very small library which is closest to me was closed and is now run as a 'community' library run by volunteers. Who'd be a qualified librarian these days? The one in town is also small by library standards and almost entirely automated.

Don't you even get your books via library van? That service has disappeared in Dorset. It's very hard on people who can't travel or have no access to public transport (also very scarce here). Some people would say, 'Ah, but what a lovely area you live in.' Yes, if you have money and a car. (I'm all right, just thinking of others.)

[lizarfau.livejournal.com]

That's appalling! Can you get on to your MP about it? It seems very wrong that people in country areas should have to pay when those in cities don't.

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

I don't think my MP would be very interested!
It's not that there's a hard and fast city/country rule, just that cities, especially if they have a university, have bigger libraries and so there's no need for inter-county loans, which is what costs. Unfair but nothing I can do about it. With cuts to local government funding, libraries are struggling just to stay open.
Oh for the optimism of the Victorians, who started our once wonderful free libraries. I dread to think what my life would have been like as a child without the library.

[joyeuce]

Because when you request a book from another branch, someone (or several someones) has to take the time to find it, process it, and get it to your branch. I think 60p a book is cheap for that. In fact, I think the 75p per request that I pay is entirely reasonable. I know if it was free, I for one would request an unreasonably large number of books; multiply that, and you have libraries either having to pay more staff (which they can't afford) or take staff away from front desk roles, which is never popular with users. As for inter-library loans, IIRC there's a standard rate that libraries have to pay each other for that (except for British Library and overseas requests, which are higher), part of the cost of which is passed on to the user.

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

Isn't that what librarians are paid to do? With increased automation, they hardly deal with customers at all. I still think that a service which I'm already paying for should be free.

[joyeuce]

Librarians aren't paid to move books between branches. That involves paying drivers, petrol, etc. As for out-of-county books, the £7 the library charges you is only part of the standard fee they pay.

[lethe1]

Agreeing with joyeuce here.

You are paying for the service of your local library. Requesting books from other libraries/branches costs extra, I don't find that strange at all.

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

Fair enough.
My gripe is that if I lived in London, say, the local library would have the books I wanted. It seems to me to be yet another countryside penalty.

[lethe1]

You can't have your cake and eat it too. Living in England's green and pleasant land and having a great library at your disposal would not be fair to all those poor Londoners who have to make do with the smog ;-)

I watched Mr Holmes last evening and was so envious of the beautiful garden and countryside!

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

True for you although I don't hear them complaining.

I watched Mr Holmes a while ago. Not that good, I thought but Ian McKellen superb as always. How beautifully he wears a top hat!

[lethe1]

He does! He looked a fine gentleman.

I'm sure the deerstalker Holmes is supposed to wear wouldn't look half as good on him.

[mouse.livejournal.com]

Outrageous! Here book borrowing is free. DVDs are £1, music CDs are £1.10, standard audio books are £1.50, eAudio and eBooks are free as are junior/young adults standard audio books.

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

Borrowing is free unless the book has to come from another library, even in the county. It's out of county books which are so expensive to request.
We have to pay for DVDs etc. but I've never bothered. I was thrilled when I found ebooks could be borrowed but there are very few available.

[mouse.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the beautiful birthday card. Exquisitely made as always. xx

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

Happy rest of your birthday!

Glad you liked it.

c

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