owning vs. borrowing

[Pollopicu]

Do you buy and own the books you read? or do you borrow from the library or friends?


Personally I must own the books I read. I bond with them too much to be able to return them. Plus I collect books. I don't have a massive collection, but it's decent and diverse enough to satisfy different guests.
I do not loan out books to anyone because I don't get them back and they're too personal to lend out. They can read it in my house as a guest. If they really want a book I have, I'll offer to buy it for them...if they're serious about reading it.


yeah, I'm a pain in the ***, aren't I? How would you like to be married to me?

[Rogers_68]

I own them. Usually copies from the thrift store or used book store. I write in them, and I love having them on my shelves.

[mayneverhave]

I prefer owning them so I can mark them up, but mostly so I can pick them up and draw something from them at any time.

Though I pull from the library quite often given the fact that I will never come close to owning even marginaly the amount of criticism that's available.

[mal4mac]

I'll borrow from the library, if they have the book. Otherwise I buy the cheapest paperback version. Sometimes (e.g., RSC Complete Shakespeare) I'll buy the hardback if I'm certain it's a keeper, i.e., if it looks good on the shelf and is needed for repeated re-readings. I tend to bond with these hardbacks. Paperbacks I give to the library, unless they are really good factual type books that I have high lighted for studying/re-reading. I don't like the quality of the paperback version of Tolstoy's complete short novels I read recently so I'll probably give it to the library and buy the Everyman hardback versions. Some things are worth buying twice! It's a real buzz to see books on the library shelf that you've donated. Spread the light! And why not give the books to your friends and rebuy? Unless it's a rare hardback or self-annotated of course...

[PhoenixPassion]

Do you buy and own the books you read? or do you borrow from the library or friends?

I do not loan out books to anyone because I don't get them back and they're too personal to lend out. They can read it in my house as a guest. If they really want a book I have, I'll offer to buy it for them...if they're serious about reading it.


yeah, I'm a pain in the ***, aren't I? How would you like to be married to me?

I don't loan my books out either! I have had my favorite book loaned out without my knowledge and my mom returned it "Sorry my friend spilled some coffee on the front." Some coffee covered the entire front with a wrinkly brown stain. Since then, it is a serious maiming if my books go anywhere without me knowing.

I borrow books from the library first. I have such a long reading list from a wide array of subject areas, I'm not sure how the books are going to turn out. If it is a book I get attached to, I give the book back to the library and purchase a copy for reading.

[wessexgirl]

Both. As a Librarian, I tend to take books home, but I buy more. My home is like a second Library, with shelves in every room. I couldn't bear to be without my books, even though I haven't read all of them yet. The advent of online book stores is a double-edged sword.....convenient and easy, but too convenient and easy, as I need to finish what I've already bought .

[bounty]

i remember a student of mine some years ago encouraging me to read harry potter, saying she would lend me her books. i declined at the time, saying if i read a book, i want to own it.

i just recently read a book that a friend lent me because he wanted to hear my impression of it---i read it, had to give it back, and now i want to have it for myself.

im reminded of john locke (and my apologies if i am butchering his sentiment)---we own something by virtue of mixing our labor with it.

[mal4mac]

i remember a student of mine some years ago encouraging me to read harry potter, saying she would lend me her books. i declined at the time, saying if i read a book, i want to own it...

You should have taken up the offer, it might have cured you of your expensive habit

[bazarov]

Both. If it's not expensive and it's really great I will buy it, but mostly will borrow it because older books are not printed much in last decade or more.

[Cailin]

I used to buy all my books but have compromised with my other half now that we have a little one and have joined the local library! There's not enough room for us all in our little house

I still buy books the odd time but I think very hard about whether I want them or not - it's made me a more cautious purchaser!

[Page Turner]

I still buy a few but mostly borrow. I don't like clutter, even books, and my nearest library is only 3 blocks away.

[Annamariah]

Both. I'm a regular customer in libraries (and after I started working there too, the amount of books I'm carrying home has only increased), but I do own quite a lot of books too, about 10 metres I think (and in a tiny student apartment I wouldn't have much space for any more).

I usually buy only books I know I'm going to re-read, I can think of better use for my money than invest on something I'm just going to read once and that's it. But as the books I own are those I love to re-visit, I have a special bond with them (anyone else hug their books regularly?) and I need to be able to browse through my favourites whenever I feel like it.

Most of my books are bought second hand, because books are filthy expensive here. In recycling centers one can find some real treasures even for free, as I've done on many occasions. Of course it helps that many of my favourite books are pretty old and many aren't even sold in regular book shops anymore.

When I buy new books, they're often paperbacks in English, as those are cheaper than Finnish ones and I many of them haven't even been translated into Finnish.

[wat??]

If I've read a book and enjoyed it enough to want to read it again some day then I must own it.

[bounty]

smiles...shortly thereafter i was able to get the first 2-3 books at a library book sale, the next two on a credit exchange at one used bookstore and the last couple at another...so it worked out pretty well cost wise.

You should have taken up the offer, it might have cured you of your expensive habit

[Dark Lady]

I like to own the books I read. At the moment I'm reading a book I've borrowed from a friend and it's making me extrememly nervous. I take a book everywhere, which can mean they get a bit battered, and I have hers in a plastic bag to try and keep it neat.

The only library I belong to is my uni library, which I dislike because of how confusing and busy it is. I go there as few times as I can get away with.

I love seeing my books on my shelves, like trophies, and I come back to books again and again for quotes and references. Right now my room looks very empty because I've started packing, ready for moving, and I took all my books off my shelves and packed them into boxes today.