Book Acquisition

How do you get your book-fix? Do you go out and buy your books, borrow them from the library? Maybe a mixture? Do you buy your books in 'bulk' or one at a time? How many?

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I'm a book-buying addict. I freely admit it, but I'm getting 'better'.

I live in the Netherlands and only very (very!) rarely read Dutch. I don't like reading in Dutch. Anyway, most of the books I get excited about don't get translated or imported to the libraries or bookstores (near where I live). Buying every book I want to read is pretty much my only option.

I used to buy in bulk because my mindset was "One more can't hurt..." and so it was I'd get 10-20 books a month. Right now I'm on a book acquisition ban. I do have allowances or I'd never be able to pull it off, but in the past few months it's had a radical impact on the amount of books entering my house (and on my TBR pile).

So what are your book-acquiring habits? Is the library your best friend? Is Bookmooch? What's your book-acquiring story? ^-^

I usually buy all my books at a store. Typically it is one or two at a time, but if I get lucky at the local used book store I'll buy whatever is there since I know it will be gone if I wait. What can I say? I'd rather have my book immediately rather than wait for it to ship from Amazon even if it does cost a little more sometimes :) I will use Amazon and the like if I'm trying to finish a series that has gone out of print.

I usually get them from the library, friends, sales. Sometimes from the bookstore if I can't find them elsewhere.

I usually either get books at the book store or pre-order from Amazon. usually 2 or 3 books at a time. But I try to get books that I don't think I'll read more than once from the library (I can always buy them if I really like them). And I also like to browse used books stores and book sales.

I do use the library quite a bit, but have accumulated such a large TBR pile I'm trying to limit my borrowing at this point and time. I think my TBR pile has mainly come from BookMooch. When I first started I went kind of crazy and just mailed and mooched a lot of books. This has died down now that I've become more paticular about what I mooch and a lack of funds for shipping.

When I do buy new it is usually through Amazon or at Borders because of the discounts/coupons.

I am so lucky to have 2 used book stores near my house. Lots of old classics to be found. And they buy back the books after I have read them. If I really want to reward myself I order from borders or amazon.