Features | Libraries
When I was in secondary school a few of my friends went through a phase of spending every single lunch break in the school library. We weren't allowed to eat, drink, or talk in our school library so I basically hated it. Even books could not entice me to give up food or talking during my lunch breaks.
When I got to university it was a different story. That library quickly became completely essential. The idea of having to buy all the reference books I needed for every essay is enough to make my eyes water even now. I still didn't spend much time actually in the library though. I'm easily distracted so I preferred to rent out all the books I needed and work from home rather than sitting in the library until the early hours of the morning. Of course, I worked until the early hours of the morning anyway, but at least at home I had access to free coffee whenever I needed it.
My opinion on libraries has certainly changed since secondary school. Now I wouldn't hesitate to say that I think libraries are fantastic and so important. But I still prefer my own personal library.
Like some sort of hunter mounting the heads of all the animals they've shot on the wall, I like to fill every available space in my bedroom with books I've read. I'm a pescatarian so I don't do a whole lot of hunting. I do do a whole lot of reading though, and I enjoy displaying my book conquests. I like the look of a bookcase stuffed full of books. I like being able to re-read books whenever I want to and I like being able to recommend a book to a friend and then immediately pull that book down from the shelf and lend it to them. I have always lent to and borrowed books from my friends, like we have our own shared circle of personal libraries, although I am not always so great at borrowing.
I once borrowed a book from a friend and didn't even read it until two years later. When it's an understanding friend it's one thing, but borrowing a book from a library and knowing that my having it might be preventing other people from reading it is just too much pressure for me. For now, buying my own books and borrowing from friends works perfectly for me, but I am so grateful that libraries exist and I don't doubt that one day I may change my mind and become the proud owner of a library card again.
What about you? Are you an avid library user or do you prefer to buy your own books? Or do you strike a perfect balance between the two? Let's talk about it in the comments!