31 Days of Lessons Learned: Day Twenty Five
Take Advantage of Interlibrary Loans
Before I get started on today’s lesson, I wanted to make a quick announcement about the remaining days of this blog challenge. I have plans on what I want to write about for the rest of the month, but I’d like to ask the folks who are following along a question. Are there any topics you’d like me to cover? I’ve learned lessons all my life, so I can come up with lessons on the fly too. If you’re so inclined, please feel free to reply in the comments.
OK, now onto my regularly scheduled program.
I never had to worry about access to books when I worked at Borders. If there was a book I was even remotely interested in, all I had to do was send an e-mail or two and it would be on the way for me to review. Aside from the people, the access to books is one of the things I miss the most about working directly in the book industry.
I still have lots of books in my collection, but I’m always reaching for the latest and greatest. Since I can’t afford my book habit any longer, I’ve come to rely on NetGalley and the Ann Arbor Public Library more and more. With the exception of five years, I’ve lived in the Ann Arbor area most of my life and I have NEVER used their interlibrary loan service until this year. It has completely changed my life. I have a pretty eclectic taste in books, so while the AADL has a very huge collection, there’s a lot of stuff I just can’t get. Now that I’ve discovered MeL, I’m learning that I can manage in a post-Borders world (especially when some of my publishing friends remind me from time to time and mail me a book from an author I like…makes me feel good to know I’m still remembered).
In the past two months, I’ve checked out about eight graphic novels from all over the state of Michigan. It’s glorious.
Check with your local library wherever you are. If they offer this service…take full advantage. Hell, your taxes are already paying for it.
