One of the things I love about reading books I actually own is that I have all the time in the world to read them. An obvious comment to make perhaps, but this luxury of time is something that doesn’t extend of course to library books, because the downside of reading these, is there’s always the chance that you’re going to have to return a book before you’ve finished reading it (because another lender has requested it). Well sadly that’s something that happened to me at the weekend with the latest read in my ‘50 Novels’ reading challenge – Steve Tolz’s A Fraction of the Whole. I was close to halfway through the novel when the call came in to return it for another lender. So it’s had to go back only half read, and I’m a little disappointed with this.
To be fair though I’ve had more than enough time to finish A Fraction of the Whole. It’s completely my fault because it’s become a casualty of the fickle reading habit I seem to have adopted lately, one that has me temporarily putting aside one book to read another one (i.e. my recent completion of Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book). I’ve learned my lesson on this though, I need to maintain my reading discipline, and also give any book I check out from the library reading priority over the ones I own.
So what does all of this mean for my ‘50 Novel’ challenge? Well I’m going to recheck A Fraction of the Whole at the start of the New Year and finish it, so I guess the novel is officially an ‘on hold’ read right now. Meantime I’ll switch to another title in my ‘50 Novel’ reading list, one that I’m hugely excited about reading, and one that has a really exciting reading partner to go with it. More on this very soon!
Meanwhile what are thoughts on reading library books? Is it something you do a lot or do you avoid them because you feel too pressured into reading them as quick as possible? And how disciplined are you with your reading? Do you doggedly stick to one book until it’s finished or are you a regular book ‘hopper’? Share your views by dropping a comment below!
About Rob
Reading is the sole means by which we slip, involuntarily, often helplessly, into another's skin, another's voice, another's soul" - 
I’m a hardcore library user. A little too hardcore, perhaps, as I’m also a one book at a time kind of a girl. I do not, as a general rule, take breaks from books. Once I’ve started, I either finish the book or abandon it entirely. I do try to give priority to library reads so I can get them back in a timely fashion, and this tends to shove other books to the back burner.
I like libraries because then I don’t have to pay for a book. I can always renew it! And then I can always return it and check it out again! But if it’s a very very long book and I’m sure I’m going to like it, it’s worth buying.
I’m always reading a half dozen books at a time. Which isn’t such a good thing. I get overwhelmed by myself sometimes.
says:
@Memory – The thing is unless I’m studying I’ve **always** been a disciplined ‘one book at a time’ kind of reader. It’s just lately I’ve started jumping around from book to book. Looks like I need to enroll in the Memory School of Novel Reading.
@Rebecca – Free is always a good thing when it comes to books and it’s the biggest draw of a library isn’t it? Not sure I should follow your example though – “half dozen books at a time” ?!?..[sucks through his teeth]…naughty! naughty!
Library books are great but they do pressure you to read them in a certain amount of time (which could be considered a good thing!) It’s a pain when you don’t finish it in time – or you just can’t make it to the library to take the darn things back… I should thank you for this post though as it reminded me to check the due date on my one book – and I’d accrued a 30p fine! oops
says:
Clare – It’s taken me about a year to ‘wipe my slate clean’ of fines due to late returns. It’s not that I’m too forgetful, it’s just I’m usually up to my maximum of 15 books and a day late through no fault of my own, means a x15 fine
. Thankfully my library now allows for online renewal which has been a godsend.
Glad to have saved you 30p though
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Hi everyone. Just discovered this site today.
Personally I think it is our DUTY to read at least a few library books at least occasionally as libraries need readers and issues to survive. The more people that use them. the more chance we have of keeping this most precious resource. Just imagine a world without libraries! So please please use your library and if you ocassionally incur a fine, then think of it more as a contribution than a fine.
And usually you can renew online anyway, so don’t even have to get to the physical building
We NEED libraries!
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Mandy – Welcome! It’s so nice to see you here. You make a very valid point and one that we as readers should take note of.
You’d be a great friend for former Reader of the Week Mark Chambers. His wife’s a librarian and he’s a massive advocate of libraries. He says in his ROTW interview – “Join many libraries. They are a much underused resource in the UK at present and they are they best place for books.” Looks like you both sing from the same
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hymnlibrary bookWell…I am a librarian!!
Haven’t worked in public libraries for a while, but am a very strong advocate for them indeed.