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lapazfarm
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| Posted: June 25 2010 at 6:12pm | IP Logged
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JennGM wrote:
I really wasn't meaning to rant and rave, I just was hoping that someone else in my position found a work around to make it reasonable.
Having witnessed how everything is down in the economy, I'm not resenting the cuts, just wishing to "say it ain't so!" |
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Oh, no! You weren't at ALL!!! I did not mean to imply you were.
Like I said. I'd be upset, too.
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Theresa
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dakotamidnight
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Donna Marie wrote:
Our Inter-library loan was just ELIMINATED..this is after I filled out the request forms for 20 books... 
Our personal budget is so incredibly tight this year. I was counting on ILL to get more books for high school. Our personal library is so limited in this area.
Our town library is small and has a terrible selection. We can go to a few other libraries to get books out, but the chances of finding what I want for school isn't too good.
I signed up for paperback swap and bookmooch but for some books, I am listed as one of MANY looking for said book...must be some of you on that list??   |
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Donna - I think some of the books you're looking for on bookmooch might be available online for free if that helps - Among the Farmyard People is one I found. They probably have more too.
I've printed them off before and taken them to be bound at the local office supply - it cost maybe $4 each tops?
Could you use Swagbucks to get some through Amazon? I get around $10-15 a month in gift cards for my regular online searching which really helps with the things I can't get here or on bookmooch.
I'll keep an eye out for the titles you need - some are on my wish list as well on bookmooch.
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Visit my home on the web The Frugal Catholic Homeschooler
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JennGM
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| Posted: June 25 2010 at 6:47pm | IP Logged
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dakotamidnight wrote:
Donna - I think some of the books you're looking for on bookmooch might be available online for free if that helps - Among the Farmyard People is one I found. They probably have more too.
I've printed them off before and taken them to be bound at the local office supply - it cost maybe $4 each tops?
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Most of Yesterday's Classics are in the public domain and available online. If you can find an inexpensive way to print them, then 3 hole punch in a binder?
The online versions you could try to format into double pages in landscape mode so that it would take less paper. And some printing services allow for double-sided printing from files. I'd price it first, of course, as it might not be worht while.
And although I hate reading online, that of course is the cheapest option.
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CrunchyMom
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| Posted: June 25 2010 at 7:17pm | IP Logged
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Well, my first reaction when hearing about this move was: why not charge for internet access and video checkouts instead of hold requests?!! It is a LIBRARY.
I mean, I like being able to get videos at the library, and I understand what a service it is to provide internet access to those who don't otherwise have it, but I find the atmosphere in our library in the evenings to be very nonlibrary like with all the computer games flashing and all the people in line with me loaded up with a basket full of videos. I honestly don't mean to judge those individuals, but THAT is where I would anticipate a lot of the expense is.
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Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
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[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: June 25 2010 at 7:21pm | IP Logged
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JennGM wrote:
Bethany wrote:
| That you would be able to call makes no sense! What costs the library more, someone making a request on the computer or personnel spending their time answering the phone. If too many people figure that out, their new system will cost them more money because people will be spending so much time answering phones and randomly looking for books. At least with a computer request, they can probably look for those sequentially and save criss crossing the library. |
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I thought the exact same thing. Computers were supposed to be work-savers, but now it costs more to use them than the real thing?
Yes, I'm afraid this loophole will be lost soon, too. |
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It's not the amount of work or personel etc.. it's that there's probably no way to remove the charge on the computer.. so if it goes through the computer the charge is there. If you go through a person.. it doesn't have to go through the computer.
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Donna Marie
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| Posted: June 25 2010 at 8:52pm | IP Logged
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ck out what Kristen is doing with her Robinson Curricula books...
Book Binding
I would love to do this!
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Donna Marie from NJ
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cornomama4
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One resource I have found to get cheap books are book sales.
http://www.booksalefinder.com
I've been to a few and most paperbacks are .50 and hardbacks are $1-$2. I am mainly building the classic lit. part of the library now, but all topics are covered in these sales. I'm missing a big one in York, PA now :(
There are many collectors and ebay/amazon sellers at these things, but if you are casual about your titles you can usually find a ton of books you never knew you needed :)
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Servant2theKing
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| Posted: June 26 2010 at 10:15am | IP Logged
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Jennifer, have you considered checking out any nearby library systems near you that haven't instituted such fees? We pay $50 per year to have library privileges at our state capital's library system (which includes ten or more branches)....dh works there, so he's able to pick up holds for us. Our tiny local library still does interloan for free, so we have the best of both worlds. Just a thought in case it might help solve your dilemna.
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JennGM
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Servant2theKing wrote:
| Jennifer, have you considered checking out any nearby library systems near you that haven't instituted such fees? We pay $50 per year to have library privileges at our state capital's library system (which includes ten or more branches)....dh works there, so he's able to pick up holds for us. Our tiny local library still does interloan for free, so we have the best of both worlds. Just a thought in case it might help solve your dilemna. |
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That's a thought. And I think dh has other privileges. The problem is he can't lug all those bugs to and from work on the train. But perhaps a few key titles for moi!
Your points about the electronic services. Our library system was recently updated, so we have a whole new catalog systems, also many different electronic services available online, like downloadable audio books.
While it's nice, I sure am old-fashioned wanting book-service over computer service. Am I the only one who just loved those old card catalog drawers and fingering through all those lovely index cards?
It's made the news this week that Arlington Cemetery is so archaic because everything is still operating on 3x5 cards. I'm not a Luddite, I know, but I like the comfort of the card system backed by the computer system in the libraries.
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lapazfarm
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| Posted: June 26 2010 at 12:29pm | IP Logged
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JennGM wrote:
Am I the only one who just loved those old card catalog drawers and fingering through all those lovely index cards?
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I loved those, too! And, did you also have the Dewey decimal system memorized? I did. Not anymore!
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Theresa
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CrunchyMom
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Me, me, me!
I actually dream sometimes of finding an old one to put in my [dream=more space] home for sorting all sorts of things!
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Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
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lapazfarm
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| Posted: June 26 2010 at 12:47pm | IP Logged
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I know! Wouldn't they be great for all those Montessori cards?!
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Theresa
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JennGM
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| Posted: June 26 2010 at 12:55pm | IP Logged
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Yes, I'm fuzzy on the Dewey Decimal system now. But at one point I was a whiz.
I've seen many a card drawer system at antique stores, and have had to sadly pass them up. Unless I have a true plan for the use, it will just be a piece of furniture.
And my struggle is the long steel bar that was to hold the bottom of the cards (hole through the middle). That makes the drawers not as useful. I think the bar is removable, but I still haven't worked out the kinks. If it were just a few bucks, I'd snatch them up. But larger amounts, I have to plan ahead.
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MaryM
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| Posted: June 26 2010 at 8:56pm | IP Logged
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Just catching up with this thread...
JennGM wrote:
| Yes, you read that correctly. Due to budget restraints, our library is going to charge for reserving books and Inter library loans. |
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Bethany wrote:
Our library recently limited the number of items you can request and have checked out. Not sure how that saves money, but they say that was the reason. So, everyone just had children or other family members get another card so they wouldn't be limited. |
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Donna Marie wrote:
| Our Inter-library loan was just ELIMINATED..this is after I filled out the request forms for 20 books... |
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...and I have to say this talk is making me very nervous. We have a great library system that I have raved about before, but they have recenlty been making some changes expense-wise, like not buying many of the books we put in requests for, significantly reducing library hours, etc. When I hear things like your libraries are doing I worry, "Are we next?" - I would die!
lapazfarm wrote:
I think certain cutback are inevitable until our economy turns around.
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I realize this but I wonder even when things bounce back more, will services be returned that have been cut back? It often seems when they remove something, it doesn't come back... 
As has been pointed out in this thread and a whole previous one - libraries are reinventing themselves to be media centers (to be "relevant"). Praying hard we aren't going down a bad path for traditional libraries and services...
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JennGM
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MaryM wrote:
| I realize this but I wonder even when things bounce back more, will services be returned that have been cut back? It often seems when they remove something, it doesn't come back... |
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Very possible, and I guess we'll cross that bridge, but very sad thought to think so.
MaryM wrote:
| As has been pointed out in this thread and a whole previous one - libraries are reinventing themselves to be media centers (to be "relevant"). Praying hard we aren't going down a bad path for traditional libraries and services... |
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I know.
Glad you chimed in, Mary, as I view you as the "expert" in use of libraries. 
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Jennifer G. Miller
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Donna Marie
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| Posted: June 26 2010 at 9:32pm | IP Logged
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It would be interesting if they found a way to bring ILL back under the name of education..even if it were somewhat limited. Surely there can be other things that could be adjusted here or there....who knows?
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Donna Marie from NJ
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chances
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| Posted: July 02 2010 at 7:28pm | IP Logged
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I'm really sorry. It sounds like this is going to have a real impact on your homeschooling.
Charging fees are not in keeping with the philosophy behind libraries, but, as many have mentioned, libraries are facing really tough times. The academic library where my husband works has had *NO* book budget for a year and a half and they just found out the Board of Regents cut the funding for the organization that pays for 3/4ths of the journal databases. With that, some universities in the state will have no money for materials. Public libraries are funded and controlled at the local and state levels, but they're really, really tight, too.
In lieu of ILL, you could find out which libraries have a reciprocal borrowing agreement with your library. It would be more work on your part, but, depending on where you live, it could be a work-around. If that isn't an option, may I add Bartleby, Alex Catalog, Google Books and Project Gutenburg as free online book options.
Talking to the director of the local system might help, too. Our system likes homeschoolers and is willing to work with us, especially as a group. They may consider a marginal "group payment" in exchange for individual fees.
If your library isn't charging for reserves over the phone, perhaps they are imposing the reserve fee as a deterrent to people who casually place reserves online and never pick them up. If you aren't one of these people, perhaps they'd be willing to make an exception to those fees, too.
Cara
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4Real Forums : Planning and Ordering our Days
Topic: Budgeting Library Expenses
