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MommyD
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| Posted: March 27 2008 at 5:59pm | IP Logged
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I've been looking at Sonlight and I've learned something interesting about DH. He doesn't think we need to own the books  !! I think we should own ALL of the books but he disagrees. We are very close to a good library, on a limited budget and are short on space already. I think we should own ALL of the books!!
What do you think?
Melissa
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amyable
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| Posted: March 27 2008 at 6:25pm | IP Logged
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I may be one of few people here who say this  but I say no, you don't need to own the books. What we have done is sort of a compromise. Speaking specifically of Sonlight, which we have used in the past (and still use their book lists often) - we got everything we could out of the library. We bought from Sonlight (or through other sources) the books I thought would be necessary additions to our year that weren't at the library (or easily available through ILL - we can easily get books from the next county over, not so easily from cross country, for example). If we LOVED a book from the library, and my kids wanted to read it over and over, I usually did buy it (often used). This was rare.
This may change when my kids are older and want/need to mark up their books to right papers, etc. Although I never marked up books in HS/college, either.  
I will say it is VERY hard to resist wanting to OWN all the books when you have an open Sonlight catalog on your lap! (like I do right now ) Step away from the catalog!
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Amy
mom of 5, ages 6-16, and happy wife of 
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: March 27 2008 at 6:40pm | IP Logged
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How easy is it to get the books from the library? Can you get all the books you need at once? can you keep them long enough? can you get them returned and not pay a fortune in fines?
Can you get the books you need.. if you have a list.. check it out ahead of time.
Seriously while it's nice to own the books, if you can handle using the library.. getting what you need.. getting them returned so that you don't pay huge fines (might as well buy them) you can save a good chunk of money not buying. You do need to be honest about your capabilities though.. can you really, consistently get ALL the books back on time for instance? some people can without thinking about it.. others have to make extra effort to do so.. others drive themselves crazy trying to make extra effort and still fail to manage it.. if you fall in the last category.. well you can try and change but that's not usually all that reliable and may save you money in the end to buy books.
We have a very poor library system here.. and generally need to buy most books we use (though we don't use Sonlight).
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G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
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Cheryl
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| Posted: March 27 2008 at 7:15pm | IP Logged
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You don't need to own all of the books. If you can afford them, it is more convenient, but it's not necessary. The books that you may want to own are the ones that you will read for the entire year, for example, A Child's History of the World. The chapter books and readers are fairly easy to take out from the library.
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Cheryl
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LisaR
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| Posted: March 27 2008 at 7:21pm | IP Logged
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I convinced dh years ago (we used Sonlight for 3 years) that we needed to own them all. now, I'm not so sure. I just can't justify leaving all of sonlight level 3, 4, and 5 books out on shelves perpetually, and really, what use are they in my basement in rubbermaid tubs??
Library is a bit more work, but I like the sense of satisfaction that we all enjoyed so many hundreds of books each year for "free". makes the taxes and occasional fine seem like a bargain!
hey what Core are you looking at? maybe we can make a deal???
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Lisa
dh Tim '92
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folklaur
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| Posted: March 27 2008 at 7:36pm | IP Logged
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sometimes . For instance, using Sonlight as a specific example, I have done it both ways. Using our library, we would often fall behind here or there. I would be renewing books like crazy, trying to keep track. They would not have the book when I needed it, and I would have to skip around or find a substitute( and I have access to a good library system...)We have lots of homeschoolers around here, and I suspect that we would all be needing the same books at around the same time. . Also, some books you use the whole time. When I had all the books, it was so simple - just go to the shelf and get it. It is easy to re-sell a whole core (and gives you a pretty big chunck of the money for a new one .) Also, I have a pretty big space between my children - so it is worthwhile to buy once for a program I will likely use three times.
But luckily, my dh loves books too . Our house is itty-bitty, but we have lots of bookshelves everywhere.
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Loren
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I try to tell myself that owning the books isn't necessary, but I want them. I guess I can try to convince my husband to make one of these.
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mom2mpr
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I have done Sonlight a few times(the early years) and each time used the library. That was with one child and lot's of trips into town and a great library system. It was frustrating sometimes to have to wait for a book.
Now with 2 kids, a 25 minute drive to our(favorite)library I am considering buying for Core 3. I am in the process of checking the libraries, but in reality, think having to pick them up will put me over the edge. Just trying to figure out funding
So, you can get by without buying and I totally agree as we have few bookshelves because we visit the library pretty often. We only buy books we absolutely love. But, for "schooling" it would be so nice to have it all here!
Anne
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folklaur
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| Posted: March 27 2008 at 9:52pm | IP Logged
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We are considering Core 3 this year too... 
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Cheryl
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| Posted: March 28 2008 at 6:37am | IP Logged
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Loren wrote:
I try to tell myself that owning the books isn't necessary, but I want them. I guess I can try to convince my husband to make one of these.
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That is really cool!
I think I'm going to use Core 3 in January '09.
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Cheryl
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Mary G
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Melissa,
Have you been listening at my house?
This is EXACTLY the discussion dh and I have all the time. I've agreed to just purchase the read-alouds that are especially good (the ones that we ALL liked) and the ones I put in the Great Yarns book as those will become family classics around here. I've also limited my book-buying to only those books that are high quality, beautiful illustrations and fun books to strew and that the kids can look at (at any age) and find something of interest/value. The other category of books around here is knitting  and those I have to be VERY careful of overindulging ... but limit to just those that make me a better knitter/designer (so kind of a business expense if you will).
So, no real help here ... just lots and lots of understanding!
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Tina P.
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Melissa:
Mary M. is the queen of library management. We have a three weeks, you're late policy. I spend more in library fees (when I *do* use the library) than I do if I buy the book from one of the sources noted below.
I buy because I *don't* have a wonderful library. I *do* manage to buy from library sales (in the big city) or thrift stores and we *do* have a large home library (this picture shows about 1/3 of the shelving which completely covers the walls) which *is* convenient, but it can sometimes be a thorn in our sides. I have to put our holiday books away during ordinary time in the interest of space. It's good to have balance.
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mama251ders
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We use the library A LOT!!! I mainly use it for short term books that I know we will move on from pretty quickly and to get to know a book that I think I want to own. I also do a lot of garage sale book buying and used curriculum sales. I try to buy things second hand first as much as a I can. But I am a believer in the needing to OWN all the books. My dream is to have an entire room where every wall is covered in full bookcases. Maybe I should start playing the lottery again!
Blessings,
Betsie
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StephanieA
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We have a horrible library in our town that got rid of anything worth having 10 years ago. Luckily, I grabbed up some of the books in a library sale before they hit the trash bins outside. I can intralibrary loan books from the university where my older sons attend, but that takes time. That said, my books will be my gift to my kids upon my death
I do go through the ones we don't care for and purge, especially when kids want topic books and find them at yard sales, etc and no one else wants to read about WWII airplane combustion rates
It is a tough call, but if I think they are going to be reread and reread with subsequent children, it is worth the cost and time.
Blessings,
Stephanie
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mom3aut1not
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I have decided different things at different times. It really depends on your circumstances and how easily you get frazzled. I am not a spontaneous or creative person and find it hard to "just wing it."
Location #1 We were close to the library (very, very close), and we used it a lot even if my youngest ASD child made it a challenge. I didn't buy that many books unless the library didn't have them or they were OOP.
Location #2A We lived far from a library and were a one-car family. We used the library some, but I could not depend on it for my core books. We also had the challenge of taking special needs children, and .... It made me feel better to have most of my books with me.
Location #2B We lived in the same location, but now we had two cars. I was able to reuse what we had and use the library somewhat more. I bought only the books we needed for the oldest student.
Location #3 We live much closer to a library (not as close as #1), but much better than #2. I can easily reserve books on topics. (Thank you, Internet/WWW.) I am down to two students, one of whom will graduate this year. I buy books that I will use either repeatedly or over a period of time or that are not available in our county's library system or the neighboring county's system. Otherwise, I use the library -- a lot.
To buy or not to buy... that is the question. Whether it is better to suffer late fees and the frazzlement of not having the book you need when you need it or to spend money that stretches your budget to the utmost...
In Christ,
Deborah
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mary
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i own core 3. if i were short space and money, i would still buy some of the books. some cannot be found in the library, and/or you use them for months (landmark history.) some books are better on cd (johnny tremain, witch on blackbird pond, justin morgan had a horse) and those would be better from the library.
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4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: Do we need to *own* books?
