Sunday, January 29, 2012

Sunday Salon: Library Guilt


It seems I've overdone it at the library. I've checked out more books than usual lately. I'll take them home, set them on my coffee table, and then...nothing. I can't get excited to read them. So then a week later I'll go back to the library, pick up more books, and read some of the new ones, while the old ones still sit untouched.

I have five books that are due back on Tuesday. I already renewed them once, and my library's online system won't let me renew them again. I read two of them, and two are completely unread. I started one, Palace Walk, but have only read two chapters. I enjoyed those two chapters, but I haven't picked it back up in several days. It's highly unlikely that I'll be able to finish the book by Tuesday - but perhaps I'll give it a try. I mean, who needs to do anything besides curl up on the couch with a 500 page book?

For some reason, I feel guilty returning library books unread. I feel like someone else could have been reading them in that time.

Besides just not having read the books, I'm also behind on reviewing those I have read. Maybe this will be the push I need to get some reviews written. I like to have a few posts drafted so I can keep a somewhat regular posting schedule. It's nice to have some waiting in reserve in case I get too busy to write much or I haven't finished any books so I have nothing to talk about.

In other news, I'm super excited that my plans to (at least temporarily) return to New York have been realized. Okay, technically I'll be staying with my cousin in New Jersey, but I'll be working in Manhattan for 10 weeks, starting at the beginning of March. I can't wait! And hopefully wither the hubby or I will find a permanent position up there so we'll be able to stay for good :-)

~~~~~>>
That's me in front of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, maybe 18 months ago, give or take. It was during the annual Museum Mile fest, where you get free admission to awesome museums like the Met, the Guggenheim, the Museum for African Art, and more. Plus there's music and chalk painting and people wandering in the closed-to-traffic street. Yeah, I miss that city.

9 comments:

Kath said...

Library guilt is an interesting one but I wouldn't feel that bad. Unless you have taken out a book with a massive waiting list, other people might not have wanted to read it so look at it like you gave the books a different view for a few weeks :)

New York! Wow, exciting. I've never been there but I am dying to one day. Hope it all works out beautifully for you and your hubby!

MJ said...

@Kathmeista: I like the thought of giving the books a different view :-)
You're right - not a lot of the books I read have a waiting list. I make sure I read those that do so the next person gets their turn,

I do hope you make it to New York! I really love it there.

Andi said...

I used to have this kind of guilt over library books, but now I have a pretty laid back attitude toward any and all books. It helps that I've cut my on-hand selection of books I own down to about 20 (the rest are in storage). No guilt anywhere!

Laurel-Rain Snow said...

I haven't used the library much lately, having many books on my TBRs and several review books that keep trickling into my house.

I long to browse and check out books again. I have fond memories of primarily reading from the library in my younger years.

I wish I could go to NY! For even a short time....good luck, and enjoy!

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Carrie K. said...

I often get library guilt, too. I also hate it that my library won't let me renew more than once, even if there isn't anyone waiting for the book. This always happens with the audiobooks I listen to in the car with my kids - we're currently in the middle of Eragon, which is loooooooong, and will have to return it and then recheck it out.

Hope you have a great Sunday!

Marg said...

I used to get library guilt. Now I just return lots of books unread all the time! I figure if I have to reborrow them I am increasing the circulation for those books so they are less likely to be culled from the collection. Yes, I use any justification I possibly can!

Lexi said...

Meredith! It's Alexis...from the PD's office in FL? I had no idea you were a book blogger. I'm totally adding you to my feed reader. How's it going?!

MJ said...

@Andi: I will try to adopt a bit of your laid back attitude.

@Laurel-Rain: I love reading from the library. I'm not a big re-reader, so I don't see the point in buying and storing a ton of books. Of course, the hubby complains that I have too many every time we move, so it's not like my shelves are exactly empty.

@Carrie: Yeah, I'm hoping if I go into the library they'll let me re-check these out. And I won't get any more until I'm done!

@Marg: I like that justification!

@Alexis: HEY! Glad you found me! Things are good. I'm studying for the bar and trying to stay sane in the process. And I'm adding you back :-)

kyleen said...

I borrow a ton of cookbooks from the library and sometimes I forget to read them before they expire. At least the cookbooks I borrow aren't pages and have pictures. As much as I love to read, I don't think I could finish so many books in one week.