Loan Shark

The lobby

The reading room

the top of the marble staircase

Gallery in the lobby

As much as I love bookshops and well stocked bookshelves, this year I am going to try to make the most of my local library.  Public libraries are under threat with swathes of local library buildings and services being closed over the last few years and library jobs being lost or replaced with volunteers .

So here are just a few reasons to love your library:

1. FREE BOOKS!
2. You can fuel a serious book addiction without crippling debt – because FREE BOOKS!
3. You can test drive new authors or genres and it doesn’t matter if you don’t like them (or finish them) – because of the FREE BOOKS!.
4. You can read through those everlasting series (like the worlds of Terry Pratchett and Tamora Pierce) without breaking the bank – because of FREE BOOKS!.
5. You can pick up poetry or classics and work out what style works for you without forking out – because (did I mention?) there are FREE BOOKS!
6. More online services mean you can renew books repeatedly to avoid fines (so the BOOKS really are FREE!)
7. Using library services ensure they stay funded and open for everyone(FREE BOOKS FOR ALL! and computer access, and printing services, and training courses)
8. Many major city libraries have beautiful architecture (and sometimes great cafés like Peyton and Byrne at the British Library in London) so FREE BOOKS and cake! The photos are from Bristol Central Library on College Green.