Hold it, Hold it
When I get down to one book in hand and one waiting to be read, a rising sense of dismay bordering on idgety panic ensues.
I could live without chocolate before I could live with nothing to read.
–C.Muse
So I did what any ink-blooded Book Booster does–I began scouring my resources and filling up my books- to-read shelf. First stop: the library.
I rarely buy books. If I do, they are gifts. This means I have achieved Frequent Flyer status at my local library. Can’t beat the convenience or the price: five minutes down the street and a twenty item limit. Did I mention they have an amazing free books shelf? Plus, they have the nicest inter-library loan dept. The library often buys my requests–I am spoiled, I know.
I also review for two separate publishers, and I can review two books at a time per site.
My panic mode at having nothing to read over the long weekend before school starts (my leisure reading diminishes considerably after Labor Day) became one of stress when EVERYTHING came in at once. I went from bare shelf to overwhelmed in a matter of moments.
Three holds appeared within two days of each other, with two being ILLs needing to be read almost immediately (honestly–why loan it out if a person barely has time to read the book?) and one book bearing that annoying little bookmark “Read Me First!” I can practically feel the anticipatory drumming of fingers of the next patron. Three books I have to read now, as in right now, presents an oxymoronic perspective to the idea of leisurely reading over the holiday.
Oh, two review books arrived and they need to be read and reviews duly noted before the month is out.
I also have three books which I had picked up at the library a couple of weeks ago, which means their due date is approaching. Renew or return? Oh, how I dislike that question.
Well, I have plenty to read at the moment. I will have to hold off on my longings for the new titles promos that keep popping up in my email.
Does anyone else go through this famine/feast cycle? I’m hoping I’m not alone in this…
Pam Webb 
I have suddenly become overwhelmed by all the books I own – so many unread but gathered for research purposes. I’m not sure who else would want most of them. And now I feel I need to read all of them just so I can be rid them. So I do admire your high flying library status. Here in the UK library services are being run down. Our county actually sold off its reference library contents, and ILLs cost £6 a go. All of which is to say, reading under duress, from whatever source, is not a happy state, but then neither is having nothing good to read. Happy holiday 🙂
To own many books is state of bliss. I’m sorry to hear the U.K. is having to downsize. After all, so much of our truly great literature is British.
I use the library a lot too. It’s just across the street from me! But I tend to put a lot of books on hold, forgetting how many I’ve added. Then suddenly, several come in at once, and the panic sets in because I can’t get to them all. 😄
I use my public library a lot (of course), but I loooooove buying books, having books, owning books. I have frequently told my beloved wife that our next house must have walls worth of built-in bookshelves, all arranged next to a wood burning fireplace.
You should check out the Captive Reader. She frequently posts photos of what she calls “library lust.”
On my way…
It’s virtual shopping at its best!
Not the feast or famine, just the ever increasing pile of books to read. But I really, really relate to the feelings of panic and being overwhelmed by the books you HAVE to read in your leisure time. How quickly it becomes more like work.
The niggling voices of “read me, read me” as I pass my TBR bookshelf…