I don’t take advantage of the San Francisco public libraries even though we don’t live too far from the Main library across from City Hall and the Chinatown branch. In fact, I’m a member of the private Mechanics’ Institute in the Financial District. It costs $95 a year. And I still don’t utilize it as much as I should.
Why? Because of Amazon.com. It is just so easy and satisfying to make a few mouse clicks, then having your book delivered directly to your lap two days later at work.
In the past six months, I’ve spent $656.27 at Amazon. That amount  includes a Scrabble deluxe edition, household items like an iron and vacuum, toiletries like contact solution, baby shower gifts, and tile for the kitchen. But $231.99 of that amount is books. Granted several of those books were gifts. I like to give books to kids versus toys. But all of those books I was reading I could have found at the library. All of them! For a savings of $139.62.
Also, every magazine you can imagine is at the library. Shit, I need to cancel my subscriptions after they expire.
Get thee to a library. Or better yet, order your book online and make sure it’s waiting for you when you arrive at the library.
Hello my friend,
I have purchased 30+ books year to date. I read voraciously and find that I increased my reading time (one of my favorite avocations) by half. How? I purchased a Kindle and I take it everywhere with me–so convenient! I have not passed the breakeven point on the purchase and pay less for every book (kindle books cheaper and delivered immediately). Libraries will go the way of the dinosour. In fact, I’ve been giving thought lately to what library’s will become when books (physical copies) become obsolete. Anyway, skip the library, buy a kindle, save long-term and feed your mind more regularly. Not always a dollars and cents thing. Much love to you and yours.
Gil, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to give up reading books in hard copy. I don’t even want to try. I’m a bookworm so I always have a book with me in my purse. So a Kindle wouldn’t help me read more regularly.