Tuesday 13 April 2010

Library Loot 13th-19th April 2010

I've had some time on my hands lately. This time really should be spent doing coursework but I like to work under pressure. As a distraction, I have been wandering around various book blogs and stumbled upon this rather interesting idea:


Library Loot which is a wonderful idea from Eva at A Striped Armchair.

My low funds mean I have started using my local library for books. Usually I bought them from Amazon Marketplace but I cannot justify that expense any longer. Last week I requested Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins and recieved a phone call to say it was in. Yesterday was a surprisingly sunny day so I decided to wander down and collect my book. My local library is only 10 minutes walk from my flat. It's rather small but I was surprised how busy it was.

It's the Easter school holidays and the children's book department was full of toddlers, tweenagers, ratty parents and babes chewing on book corners. The available computers were all in use by the time I left. Turning a corner, I stumbled upon a book group having tea and a good old natter about the book they had been reading. Yes, it might be a small library but it was a used library. And there's nothing nicer than seeing a library in use.

The other advantage to the library is the book displays. I try to read a range of fiction but dislike Amazon's marketing choices sent to my email. One stand appeared to be devoted to How to Use.... books with an emphasis on Web 2.0 such as Twitter and Blogging. They are rather short books but I was amused to see printed books as a resource for Web based tools.

But hey, you want to know what I chose, right? Two books came from the The Herald/Tesco Summer Read campaign. The readers are either all Scottish or based in Scotland (Alexander McCall Smith for one) and small presses are represented as well as big sellers.

Finally (I hear you cry!) here is my library loot for this week:




(These two came from the library stand.)







It is doubtful I will get all of these read this week. Surviving and Corduroy Mansions are both two week loans whilst the rest are four week loans. Currently these books are proving good distraction techniques from looming deadlines.

7 comments:

Eva said...

Enjoy! I must say, I strongly prefer the US hardcover of Graveyard Book.

Unknown said...

Thank you :) I looked up the US cover on Amazon and am unsure which cover I prefer. Shall decide after I've read the book.

Jessica N. said...

Oh I have The Graveyard Book on my list of books I want to read too! I'll come back to see what you think.

Also, The Hunger Games is GREAT! I hope you really like it.

Here is my Library Loot post if you'd like to come on by!

Bybee said...

I really like this cover of The Graveyard Book.

I sympathize...I also have a deadline approaching and want desperately to escape into pleasure reading!!

Unknown said...

@Rose - Thanks for stopping by my blog :) I haven't got started on The Graveyard Book yet but I am looking forward to it. I really wish The Hunger Games had been around when I was a teen. Although I did tear my way through almost every Point Horror written ;)

@Bybee - Deadlines are evil. Especially when you have a pile of books winking at you.

Christine said...

Hi! I've been wanting to read Gaiman's Graveyard Book since it first came out. I hope you enjoy it.

As for The Hunger Games... it's fantastic. I hope you find it so as well.

Have fun reading through your loot!

Linda said...

Great books. Enjoy your loot!