Play Book Tag discussion

Some of you in areas with small or limited librairies might find this article helpful on accessing out of state library cards:

https://bookriot.com/out-of-state-lib...

It is for ebooks and audiobooks, of course. Also you should check the large urban public librairies in your state to see if they issue free library cards to all state residents for ebooks and audiobooks. NYPL does that for NYS residents.

I will say that I was surprised to see the Queens Library in the article. I am a member of course since it is one of my 3 libraries. I find the selection of books to be piss poor frankly, and it does not ever have many copies available, especially considering the size of its borough population. Makes for long hold times.

Alas, Brooklyn Public Library, which is a stellar one, is discontinuing its general public out-of-state program after expanding its teen access program.

Good to know. Some people across the country were using Brooklyn Public for audiobooks.

Thanks for posting that. I have a NYPL card I used before Covid, and I loved it, but the waitlists became really long. At the same time my library system stepped up their digital purchases, so I haven't checked it in a long time. Some of my bookclub friends have cards in the states where their adult children live. I'm not sure if they're in their own names or the kid's names. The first library on the list is in the county my son lives in.

I'd like to remind everyone about two additional options:

1) Hoopla. It's like Libby, but they have unlimited copies of the books they carry, so there are no waitlists. There is a limit to how many you can borrow each month. It's easy to join through your public library. They have many e-audio books I wasn't able to find elsewhere, plus music and even movies.

2) Suggest a Purchase. Check your library's website or call a librarian to find out how to suggest a purchase of a book that they don't yet carry. I can submit up to two each week. My library seems to approve everything except books they can't get through their distributors. (Books from Amazon owned publishers are harder to get.)

Holds - Putting holds on books is an easy way to let your library know what you want. The more people who put a hold on an ebook or e-audio, the more copies they will order. (Except when a publisher puts limits on a new books).

I'd also like to suggest Open Library (part of the Internet Archive).

They do CDL (Controlled Digital Lending). I'm not sure exactly how it works, but they are books that various libraries own and have scanned. I believe that the print book cannot be loaned out while it is being used virtually.

I don't expect there are a lot of new books there, but I use it a lot if I can't find a book at my library (but then, most of what I read is not terribly new!).

You do need to create an account and you "check out" the book either for 1 hour at a time, or you can check some of them out for 14 days.

https://openlibrary.org/

ETA: Again, much of what I read is not new, and I'm usually looking for stuff my library doesn't have, but I rarely have trouble checking out a book when I want it (it's almost never already checked out).

NancyJ wrote: "Thanks for posting that. I have a NYPL card I used before Covid, and I loved it, but the waitlists became really long. At the same time my library system stepped up their digital purchases, so I ha..."


During COVID NYPL put severe limits on the number of ebook and audio borrows and holds -- 3 borrows at a time and 3 holds. They have kept those limits.

NancyJ wrote: "2) Suggest a Purchase. Check your library's website or call a librarian to find out how to suggest a purchase of a book that they don't yet carry. I can submit up to two each week. My library seems to approve everything except books they can't get through their distributors. (Books from Amazon owned publishers are harder to get.)."

My library has never purchased any of the books I've recommended. I think it varies significantly depending on the state. New York seems to have a much bigger budget for such purchases (and also the population to support it). States with fewer people and lower budgets do not automatically purchase the recommended books.

I think you are right Joy. If I request a purchase, I usually get it, but I think that is because of my volunteer work there-just another perk I get

Joy D wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "2) Suggest a Purchase. Check your library's website or call a librarian to find out how to suggest a purchase of a book that they don't yet carry. I can submit up to two each week. M..."

That’s too bad. I know I am lucky to be part of a large county/city library system with 30+ branches. It’s funded by local property taxes, but they’re pooled, so we all have access to the same electronic resources. The pooled funding gives the library system increased purchasing power.

If I lived just a couple miles away, I would only have access to one small library with limited funding.

I don’t think New York State pays for any of our books, though they provide some other support. I know that New York State income taxes help fund the NYPL in New York City, which is why state residents have access to some of their resources.

With regard to purchase decisions, I imagine that policies and the opinions of decisions makers are also important.

Joanne wrote: "I think you are right Joy. If I request a purchase, I usually get it, but I think that is because of my volunteer work there-just another perk I get"

Well I can say as a New Yorker who frequently recommends ebook purchases to NYPL as well as Brooklyn and Queens, not a single one of my recommended purchases has ever been purchased. Including the missing book in popular series they do have.

It is incredibly frustrating.

While we have much bigger budgets, our population is so huge in NYC alone - 9M - and so diverse with diverse needs - that the proportionate share of that budget per library user and their requests is likely far lower than your smaller community. Just consider how many different languages we need to provide for.