06 August 2009

For Library Users Near and Far

I've been thinking a lot about whether there are any special features that I could add to this blog to make it especially useful to any readers that live in my area. I'm still thinking, but in the meantime I've added a link to the Gaston-Lincoln Library in the sidebar. In the past few months I've met several people who use the library but don't know about the website and all that it offers.

My favorite feature of the library website is the book request function. It is a godsend! I wouldn't be reading nearly as many books without it because my husband hates waiting an hour or two for me while I'm perusing the stacks. This way I sign into my account, request the books I want, and have them sent to my local branch from the main library in Gastonia. My husband ABM goes to pick up my books every Monday, and he is in and out in five minutes. I've been doing this for at least two years and it works well for us.

For my readers who aren't local to me, I want to hear about your libraries. Does your library have a website? Does it have a blog? Do you use any of your library's online services?

6 comments:

JoAnn said...

I use two library systems, one at "hone" and one at the beach. Both of them have websites but neither site is great. Neither have a blog. I wonder how a library blog could/would work?

I use the online systems at both in order to reserve books and also for browsing. I still manage to physically go to the library 2-3 times a week. My home library is so gorgeous and welcoming that I love to spend time there.

I have always been a library user and blogged about it here last year:

http://everydaymatters.typepad.com/every_day_matters/2008/07/libraries-i-hav.html

My home library has a great function as part of its online catalog. I can keep a list of up to 100 books there. When I want to reserve one of these books, I just have to click to move it from the list to a request.

Dani In NC said...

So far the only thing I can think of for a library blog is perhaps reports on different events that were held at the library.

I wish our library site let me keep a TBR list. If it did, I wouldn't need Goodreads. I don't use the social networking aspect of Goodreads much, so the library list would be a better solution.

Brittanie said...

Our library has a website and I use to look up books and see what they have. If it is not at the two branches closest to me I request them and pick them up at my close branch. It does work well. :)

Anonymous said...

My local library website allows for me to search for books at my branch as well as other libraries. I can also put books on hold through their website and renew my loans. My branch allows for inter-library loans, but that is done in person. If I were a student, I'd probably find the free wi-fi that they offer useful as well. One way that my library benefits from my blogging is that my review copies and most books I buy wind up donated to the library, as I only keep a few hundred books.

Stephanie said...

I just moved and am getting to know my new library (we're now a squeak outside Nashville, TN). The library here is a thing of beauty. Shelf upon shelf of new books, classics, movies, music, a fantastic and easy-to-use website.

I haven't used any of the website's features to request an interlibrary loan, but I did constantly at my old library (to the point where they were sometimes calling me twice a day to come pick up books!). I have a reading list I'm working from, and my new library has 73 of these books- I am deliriously happy about this! Once I plow through those books, I'll start requesting like mad. :)

I love my library, no matter where I'm at. I signed up for a library card here right after coming from the DMV with my new TN license. :)

Dani In NC said...

>>I haven't used any of the website's features to request an interlibrary loan, but I did constantly at my old library (to the point where they were sometimes calling me twice a day to come pick up books!). I have a reading list I'm working from, and my new library has 73 of these books- I am deliriously happy about this! Once I plow through those books, I'll start requesting like mad. :) <<

Stephanie, I don't do interlibrary loans (like from Mecklenburg County to Gaston County) because there is often a charge involved. I request a lot of books within the system to be sent from the main branch to my local branch Every time a book I've requested is available, the automated system calls. Since I do the requesting for all six members of our household, I hear that recording almost every morning at 9a. It is my summer wake-up call!

My TBR list is currently at 100 books and they are all available at my library. I also have a list of 101 books that aren't available at my library. Perhaps I will have to take a serious look at interlibrary loans then.