Smugness
A few weeks ago, my wise sister Merrick decided to take my advice and read The Hunger Games.
Sadly, Merrick lives in Provo, where the public library appears to be frequented by nothing but crazed YA readers. I’d noticed the same thing when I lived there while I attended BYU and was placing items on hold so frequently that I memorized my library card number. When Merrick placed a hold for The Hunger Games, she was number 85 in line. THAT is crazy.
I somehow had the good fortunate to live only a few blocks away from a library that has both a very good teen collection and an apparently small YA reader group, leaving me the leading role of crazed YA reader.
I looked, just now, and saw that The Hunger Games has one request.
Graceling, which had 30 holds on it in Provo, has none at my library. None.
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks has 11 requests in Provo. It has none at my library.
Twilight has three holds here (and eight copies), while there are five requests for it in Provo, even with 25 copies (and that doesn’t include the two complete book club sets of it they own too). Fortunately I’ll never have any need to check Twilight out of the public library, since Ralphie is my own personal Stephenie Meyer library.
Ah, it’s good to live here.
This post also probably assures me a library in Boston with no teen collection whatsoever. Or waits of over a year to get any book ever. Or, you know, a CHARGE to even get on the wait list.
I’ve definitely waited more than a month to get certain books. Usually not YA books, but still… it can be kind of a process here. Even with multiple branches of the library and a million copies of the book.
When I originally put Twilight on hold in Salt Lake County, I was in the 300s. I currently have The Hunger Games in my possession, but I haven’t been able to read it yet, I was in the 80s on the hold list, though, so I need to get to it or I’ll have to wait a long time to get it back again.
That’s a good reason to NOT use the library here. Darn Provo. I generally just buy my books, which seems like a waste of money, but I like owning them and being able to read them whenever I want. By the way, I own the Hunger Games if your sister wants to borrow it. I know neither of you really know me, but you know my sister! And I live in Orem, so it’s not like I far away from Merrick…
Rochester library: $.50 per hold. New York: the taxes and fees state.
Sometimes “ya just gotta” break down and buy the book. Try Powells.com. (I love Powells.) I think Barnes and Noble has a used book section, too. And, Powells usually has a special that if you spend over ___ dollars you get “free” shipping. 🙂 (Janssen, PLEASE don’t shoot me. LOL)
I, sadly, live in Provo and have to deal with the long waiting lists. Oh well!
The Provo library is the worst about that.
I’m sure you’ve addressed this before, but do you ever buy books? I have a bad habit of buying books. It started with buying books for my classroom and now I still buy them for my future kids because I love kids books so much. But it’s not like I won’t be taking them to the library so I probably could ease up on the book buying…
Hunger Games- 19 holds on 40 copies (I’ve been waiting for over a month… there was some ridiculous number of holds when I initally requested it.)
Graceling I got within a week.
Disreputable History – does not look like it has any holds… why have I not received an email!!! ah! This is not acceptable.
I live in an area that shares books between a whole bunch of cities. I love that I can go online, request a book, and they usually can get me a coopy 🙂
I thought you were a crazed YA reader?
As a side note, we nearly named my third boy “Merrick.” We actually liked all the “ick” names. Then we picked an alternative that rhymes.
Tell her to buy The Hunger Games! Worth it!
I’ve been waiting for the Hunger Games forever! I’m hold #27 of 51 right now!
I’m having a hard time getting the really good ones from BYU or Provo library. I’m going to end up buying Graceling, I know it. Actually, now that I know how many holds there are, I’m going to buy it right now.
OK all you people in Provo—you can also try the Orem library! At least for The Hunger Games, our list is shorter. We only have 55 holds, but 8 copies. That’s like only waiting for 7 people to finish!!! 😉 Plus when the hold list is that long, you can only have it out for 2 weeks, which makes it go way faster.
I’m just sayin’.