How to get the books you want to read

I am the type of person that loves to buy books so I can reread them as often as I want. However, being a college student really limits the amount of money I can spend on book. This means that I have to find the best way to get the books I want, without spending much.

LIBRARIES:

The best place to get books for free! The only problem I've had with this, libraries don't necessarily carry every book you want to read. I've had to wait weeks, sometimes months, in order to get a book that I requested because it is either coming from another library or because they just bought the book and have to get it into the system. I've gotten lucky that the libraries nearby have most of the books that I'm looking for, but what do I do when one is not there?


FRIENDS:

If you have friends that like to read, ask them if they have the book or if they know someone who might have it. It's great to have friends with similar interests as yours. One of my favorite things about those with similar interests to mine, they decided to start a book club. This one is more about what each person enjoys, rather than everyone reading the same book. Since each person likes different genres, it's easy to expand the kind of books that you will read in the future.

Obviously, friends will not always have access to the books you want to read, so what now?


USED BOOKSTORES:

There is at least one used bookstore in every city or town. The great thing about these bookstores, is that because the books have been previously used, the prices will be cut down to a very affordable price. I live in a small town, so I understand the struggle of finding books in these stores. Maybe you will not be able to get the new book that came out a week ago, but there are so many other books, why not give one a try. A few years back, I was at a used bookstore and found a book, not the type I normally read, but it seemed interesting. To this day, it is one of my favorite books: Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe.

If you've gone through the stacks, and still haven't found something you want, what do you do?


E-BOOKS:

Many people enjoy reading ebooks, and it figures considering how quickly our technology is advancing. I do have a kindle, and I do read some books on it, but I much rather enjoy the satisfaction of turning a page on a book.

Now that technology is advancing, many libraries feature e-book selections. One of the websites that I use is Overdrive. The system is connected to library counties and, so long as you have a library card, you can check out e-books for about 3 weeks, give or take. There are also plenty of websites where you can get free e-books as well, such as Instafreebie. Subscribe to their email list, and you'll get emails about free books you'll be able to get.




There are a lot of things you can try to get your hands on those books you desire to read. Ask around, find out how you can get a book to your library, all you have to do ask.


*This post is specifically for those living in the U.S. I do not have information on how to get books if you live in other countries.

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