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Sunday 15 July 2012

Love Your Library


Aloha Sprinklerinos,

It won't be news to you that I am a big fan of books. I'm not a literary genius that can recite reams and reams of Shakespeare, but I have read an awful lot of chicklit, home, style and craft books and enjoy sharing them with you. 

The gripe I have with books is the price. I begrudge paying a lot of money for something that I will seldom read more than once and may not even like. The answer to this is Public Libraries.


Before I had Baby Glitter and I worked in an office, I used to visit my local library quite regularly because it was right by my workplace. Then, when I became an at home Mummy, life lost it's routine a bit and I didn't feel like shlepping off to a library was convenient. 

Well, I was wrong. It turns out, my local library is literally at ten minute stroll away! I only discovered this last month when I made the effort to take Baby Glitter out on a walk and was shocked at how close it actually is - I felt almost silly for not knowing.

We now go weekly and absolutely love it. It is completely free to join the library and all you have to do is walk in, go to the desk and tell them you'd like to sign up. You fill out a pretty basic form, take the card they give you and voila- it's book time!


I wanted to write this post because going to the library with Baby Glitter has become one of my happy things and this blog is a place to share and document those.

Great Things About the Library ::

Borrow :: You can take up to 8 books out for free, for up to 3 weeks. Seeing as Baby Glitter has her own card, we can leave with up to 16 and I'm glad her pram has a big basket to carry them all!

Not feel Pressured :: Knowing that borrowing is free, I don't feel stressed about what I take out. Usually I will take quite a selection and may only read 1-2, but that's alright, I haven't just had to shell out £80 like I would have in a shop. 

Be calm :: Libraries are quiet, tranquil places and I happen to really enjoy the peace of them and feel very relaxed and soothed there.

Create :: Our library has a big table with tubs of wax crayons, pencils, felt tips and paper for children. Baby Glitter is just learning to hold these sorts of things and has already created a few masterpieces. You don't have to ask to use these things, they are just always out. Once I came to the library and saw a bunch of old ladies making quilts, which I thought was a cute little group too. 

Surf :: I'm not sure if you have to pay a small fee or not, but there is a sizable bank of computers and desks, should you want to use the internet or write a document etc. I haven't looked into this but I would imagine there are also printers and a photocopier but expect you would have to contribute toward using these. 

Shop :: In most libraries there are often 'sale rails' where you can buy old books for incredibly low prices.

Read :: I know this is an obvious one, but you don't actually have to leave the building with books. Quite often I will sit in the children's corner and read Baby Glitter stories and then put the books back.

Socialise :: I take Baby Glitter to a 'Rhyme Time' group (for free) where she learns songs and actions with other tots and all of the Mum's sit round the edge and rather awkwardly join in. It's really great for little ones and the musical instruments they are given to play with are very stimulating. At the end, they are given stickers and you have a chance to chat with other Mother's/Carer's. 

Those are just a few of the things we do at our library but you can also borrow DVD's, Videos and CD's. I also saw a poster last week asking for young people (I think 13-19) to volunteer during the summer. I'm going to encourage my sister to do this as it will look good on her CV and be beneficial to any further education applications.

Did you know there was so much to do at a library?

Toodlepip!

xx

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33 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. I love my little local library.. I don't use it as much as I used to though.. My university library however gets used all the time for everything work related.. So never really get to browse the isles for reading inspiration!

    Claudia X

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  3. I honestly didn't realise there was so much to do in a library! I thought all you could do was borrow books, and I thought all the books would be old dusty things I am not interested in! Shows how wrong I was! The group you take baby glitter to is such a good idea too! :) I am loving reading again its so relaxing :) Can't beat a good chicklit!! :)

    Great post! xxx

    http://blondie-xo.blogspot.co.uk/

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  4. nothing better than a good read :) you should do a post on what you've been reading lately to give the rest of us a bit of inspiration!
    love ya louise!

    liv xo
    http://livflorence.blogspot.co.uk

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  5. I've recently got back into reading and I think It'll be a lovely idea to visit the library (even though the one near me is a bit rubbish) but you never know what you might find and this post really makes me think how much better it is to take advantage of libraries rather that spend a lot of money xx

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  6. I absolutely love to read! :) I used to go to the library loads as a kid, but as I got older thought it was "uncool" or whatever, but I am actually going to join up again! :) yay for reading, aha.

    Beauty, Fashion, Lifestyle and Thoughts Blog.♥

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  7. Sounds like such a fab library! I used to love the library and used all the resources in them, but experiencing university libraries have now seemed to dash any thoughts of me entering in one again!

    xx

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  8. I used to do this all the time, but I have to say I'd rather invest in some nice coffee table books and get my chick lit fix at the library! Thanks for reminding me!

    -Elodie x
    http://www.elle-yeah.com

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  9. I love going to the library! It's just a shame that the one near me is so small :(
    stars-and-studs.blogspot.co.uk

    xx

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  10. In my local library the computers are completely free and it's also free to print off up to four black and white pages which is beltin'! They've just opened a mahoosive new library in the town centre and I was giddy when I saw the selection!
    http://theredoneblog.blogspot.co.uk/

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  11. This post has made me feel like I should pop down to my local library again! I haven't been for years but my Mum used to take me and my brother there all the time to take books out and (old school) to rent videos which were super cheap and had longer loan times than the video stores! I might have to take a stroll into town and re-visit my library. I still have my library card 'signed' by me when I was three...I wonder if it still works!

    Charlotte xxx

    http://wouldntitbenice23.blogspot.co.uk/

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  12. Sounds lovely, I recently have a new library nearby, will take a peek there :) Ixx

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  13. I love this post!! I recently started going to my local library again :) my mums a librarian and so I grew up a bookworm but stopped reading when I moved out to Uni. Now im 25 and trying to be a bookworm again hehe! I love my local library :) woop woop for literature hahah xxx

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  14. I never seem to think about the library when I want to read books (strange maybe:p) - there are some I want to read at the minute and I think I may just go and see if my library has them instead of buying them myself :) xx

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  15. I am constantly in and out of libraries in my city getting books and films. Great post Louise!
    http://cofcorals.blogspot.ca/

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  16. Great post. My mum is a librarian and I've always borrowed books. My mum really doesn't approve when I buy them! Libraries really are a great place to take children. Unfortunately there's so many cuts and it's looking like my mum is going to be made redundant after over 20 years in the library service. X

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  17. When you next go to the library, please get Baby Glitter the 'There's No Such Thing As Dragons' book by Jack Kent, it was my favourite as a kid! :)
    I used to love going to the library when I was a kid but kind of went off it as I got older, but I'm not sure why xx

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  18. This is so true!
    My library although small is only a five minute walk away. I should also go to our city library more often as it has an enormous selection of books!

    Makeup for Biochemists

    xx

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  19. I really love visiting my school's library as I'm on good terms with the librarian and the books are suited for my age range and what I need to study. However when visiting my library I always feel like I'm being watched and they only have one shelf of teenage fiction :/ x

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  20. I always go to the library because books can get really expensive! It's so good that your encouraging all your readers to go :) xx

    http://alicesstylenotes.blogspot.co.uk/

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  21. I love taking my niece to the library; she enjoys it and it got me back into reading too! We can actually take up to 20 books at a time, so the first time we went a bit crazy! :D Our local library is small but I like the fact I can ask them to order me books from other libraries or even do it myself online! xx

    labeauteobsession.blogspot.co.uk

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  22. Oooooh I used to love Peddington Bear as a kid :))
    Louise you're so wonderful!

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  23. Took this to heart today and made a little trip to my library today, too. :) I was curious to see if my library (which sometimes seems to be very outdated) would have makeup-related books, and to my surprise I found some of the Bobbi Brown manuals! :) Thank you, Louise! <3

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  24. Next time you're at the library and fancy a nice book for yourself have a look at Belinda Jones. I adore her books, they're sweet funny love stories (so chick lit then) based in a certain area, such as Las Vegas, Venice etc, so you feel like you're having a little holiday too :)

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  25. I haven't been to the library in years! My nan used to take me when I was little, I enjoyed it so much. My local library is pretty small though and they never seemed to have a very "new" selection but I might go round today and check it out, may have changed since I was last there!

    Katie :)

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  26. I live about a five minute walk from my local library, since it moved even closer I'm ashamed to say I've never set foot inside (even though it's been there for at least three years) - you may have inspired me xx

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  27. I've started going down to the library. It's great, as long as you remember to bring your books back! xD

    Laura xx
    http://demandbeauty.blogspot.co.uk/

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  28. I love this post.

    I've recently given most of my books to charity shops as a lot of them are available to me as and when I want to read them at the library so my copies can be reused by other readers.

    Rebecca
    www.tinkerbeki.blogspot.com

    xx

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  29. I always use the library too. or buy used books off of amazon!

    http://studsanddreams.blogspot.co.uk/

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  30. I love going to the library!! When I was younger, I loved joining the reading programs and getting coupons for ice cream and things like that!! Our library let's us check out a whopping 28 books! I don't know how you'd keep up with that many!!

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  31. I guess I never go to libraries because I'm afraid the books will get squished in my everday bag and I'll have to pay a fine or something? so silly I know!

    I'll def try to check it out though, you're so right that it eliminates the pressure of buying a goo book ul know ul love for £8 everytime :/ Most times the books end up being disappointing, I'm so picky! Cheers xx

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  32. I love going to the library but haven't really had the time to go lately xxx

    http://jeminixlife.blogspot.com

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Thank you for comment!
Sprinkleofglitter xxx

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