My plan is to do some good reading today, beginning with the library e-book that needs to be returned first, especially since someone is waiting for it.

I am fascinated by how differently libraries are set-up all over the world. I know that in most of, or parts of, Europe, one must pay to access the library. In the U.S. every state and county seems to have different rules, variations in connected networks, and different services available. Inter-library loans and holds are easy to do where I live. It's also how I get passes to state parks or the Zoo. My access is free, unless it is a library system out of network. Even then, the annual fee is like ten bucks, unless I want access out of state for some reason.

In my county library, if it's not a recent title and no one is waiting for it, I can check out a physical book for a month. For the state-wide system, called PINES, one can check out physical or e-books as well as other materials, for two weeks. Two renewals are allowed if no one is waiting. You can checkout up to 50 items. If you try to check out too many new arrivals at one time, they will balk, though. At one point, I had to promise to return them one at a time the second I finished. If the book was short enough or intriguing enough, I would just sit down and read it right there. (Notably: VERGE by Lidia Yuknavitch and THE ONLY GOOD INDIANS, by Stephen Graham Jones are good examples.)

In addition, my county system (not affiliated with PINES), has a digital-only library of limited materials for a very limited time, called HOOPLA. It's a great source for incredible numbers of graphic novels. There's a strict limit each month, usually 8 or 10 items. It is a lackluster source of e-books for whatever reason.

#Libraries #Books

https://pines.georgialibraries.org/

https://www.hoopladigital.com/