Anyone pay for a library membership

[lovelyshoes]

In another city? My local library doesn't have that many e-books and that's what I mostly read. I wanted to get a membership to a different library so I can get books on kindle. Any suggestions? Anyone does does this?

[candreco]

It's been a while since I used it, but the Philadelphia Free Library is a popular one for ebooks.

[ssmjlm]

I joined the Free Library of Philadelphia for $50. I have already gotten more than that out of their ebook collection. Like you, my local library's ebook collection isn't great and the popular books have long waitlists.

[lovelyshoes]

May 6, 2016 9:24:24 GMT -5 ssmjlm said:

I joined the Free Library of Philadelphia for $50. I have already gotten more than that out of their ebook collection. Like you, my local library's ebook collection isn't great and the popular books have long waitlists.

Thank you. Do they mail the card to you, do you even need a physical card?
I'm so frustrated with the selection at my library and I'm over paying Amazon for books. $50 is very reasonable.

[sapphireblue]

I work at a library and I can tell you that people do it all the time.

Most of my experience with it is for a somewhat different reason--our town is on the border of another state so we get people from the other state that want access to our library and/or state system as our library is much bigger than the one in their town.

But I suppose, like PPs said, there really is no reason you couldn't do it for a library that isn't geographically close to you at all, if they have a great collection that you want to be able to use.

[Deleted]

Have you tried Kindle Unlimited? I pay $10 a month for it, and I get my moneys worth.

We moved to another state, and I still use my old county's library system for ebooks. I've looked into the Philadelphia one but didn't know how waiting lists would be since anyone can pay to join.

[lovelyshoes]

May 6, 2016 9:41:39 GMT -5 @roseyposey said:

Have you tried Kindle Unlimited? I pay $10 a month for it, and I get my moneys worth.

We moved to another state, and I still use my old county's library system for ebooks. I've looked into the Philadelphia one but didn't know how waiting lists would be since anyone can pay to join.

I had unlimited for about 5 months and I hardly find books that I want on there.

[sapphireblue]

May 6, 2016 9:40:09 GMT -5 lovelyshoes said:

May 6, 2016 9:24:24 GMT -5 ssmjlm said:

I joined the Free Library of Philadelphia for $50. I have already gotten more than that out of their ebook collection. Like you, my local library's ebook collection isn't great and the popular books have long waitlists.

Thank you. Do they mail the card to you, do you even need a physical card?
I'm so frustrated with the selection at my library and I'm over paying Amazon for books. $50 is very reasonable.

I will say that libraries in our state are all part of a consortium and the fee is more like $110. You can get a local use only card (meaning you don't access the consortium resources, only those of your local library) for $25.

[felicity]

Most of our neighboring counties will let you join their libraries for free. My county has a good selection of ebooks, but it's nice to have multiple options.

Also, when I search for ebooks, if the search comes up empty, it gives me the option to request my library get it and automatically check out the book if it becomes available. I've had good luck doing this, although my library is really slow about it. Months later I'll get an email notification it's been checked out to me, and I usually forget I even requested it. Always a nice surprise!

[ssmjlm]

May 6, 2016 9:40:09 GMT -5 lovelyshoes said:

May 6, 2016 9:24:24 GMT -5 ssmjlm said:

I joined the Free Library of Philadelphia for $50. I have already gotten more than that out of their ebook collection. Like you, my local library's ebook collection isn't great and the popular books have long waitlists.

Thank you. Do they mail the card to you, do you even need a physical card?
I'm so frustrated with the selection at my library and I'm over paying Amazon for books. $50 is very reasonable.

I did it all online and they emailed me my card and pin information.

[toepick]

I would also check surrounding counties. I know that I am allowed to get cards from at least 3 surrounding counties, and they have all have different e-book capacity. My home county happens to have the best availability.

Also, I allow a good friend in another location to check out ebooks using my account - they can't be late so no risk of late fines.  

[isabel]

May 6, 2016 9:24:24 GMT -5 ssmjlm said:

I joined the Free Library of Philadelphia for $50. I have already gotten more than that out of their ebook collection. Like you, my local library's ebook collection isn't great and the popular books have long waitlists.

I might check this out. Is there a shorter wait time? My library has a great selection of ebooks, but it often takes several weeks before my holds come available.

[ssmjlm]

May 6, 2016 10:04:19 GMT -5 isabel said:

May 6, 2016 9:24:24 GMT -5 ssmjlm said:

I joined the Free Library of Philadelphia for $50. I have already gotten more than that out of their ebook collection. Like you, my local library's ebook collection isn't great and the popular books have long waitlists.

I might check this out. Is there a shorter wait time? My library has a great selection of ebooks, but it often takes several weeks before my holds come available.

Much shorter.  My local library can take 6+ months for some books, I think I've waited maybe a month for most through the philadelphia library.

[Jillaroo]

I work at a library and patrons who are really into e-books usually have more than one library card.
I don't even bother with my library's e-books. I went to San Francisco and got a library card. I use their e-audiobooks and they already have ones that I'm interested in, where the director in my county seems intent on only buying the e-books that she likes, which is mostly mystery/horror and not anything me or many patrons are into. Many of my coworkers also have cards from other places. In fact, there was recently a field trip to another library to check out their circ system and everyone got cards to that library to utilize their e-books.

I'd check to see what the requirements are to get a card in large cities around you. And you can always request titles!

[livinitup]

When I went to an out of state college, I was so mad that I couldn't get a library card because, as a student, I was not considered a resident. But of course, I was too far away from my legal residence to frequent and loan books. So, I got a fake ID to get a library card





(I also used it to drink copious amounts of beer.)

[auntie]

DH paid to use one the libraries at Princeton University for science and math.

My town has a subscription library, not a branch of the county free library system which includes the local community college. It's $20/year for a basic single membership.

[moolarkey]

Most libraries, even in another city or state, won't charge you for membership. Some will. They may charge you for materials you borrow for another library but they will let you know that up front. It works like this, some libraries loan to other libraries completely free. Some charge shipping, some charge & fee and shipping. The library you obtain the loaned materials through (Where you have your membership)will let you know up front if there is a cost.

It used to be you couldn't get a library card unless you lived in that city or county or zip code but now people have library memberships all over. You can use this to find libraries www.worldcat.org/webservices/registry/xsl/search-advanced It isn't 100% of all libraries but it's huge and you can search by state, etc. You'll find public libraries, academics, government and corporate there. You can use worldcat.org to search for materials and will tell you libraries that own that item (not every library but again, thousands). 

I'd probably go about this a couple of ways. Find libraries that look like they have good E collections, contact them about a card or I'd find items I want to access, see who owns it and then contact them about a card.  Most libraries do not "loan" their E (electronic) so you need a card for the library that holds the item.  Loans are typically for print only.