Ebook Buying Addicts' Support Thread

[DrNefario]

I'm about the same. Yesterday, I visited the library nearest my office, and found it had about half of my wishlist on the shelves. I mean, sure, it was old-fashioned paper, but I probably don't really need to buy stuff.

[Tarana]

I had a terrible month in terms of TBR. That Audible sale was just the start. All I can say is that I will do better next month.

[PurpleStar]

Star Trek books got me again, but I did good otherwise. Reading the one other book I bought.

Ooops I forgot the other books I bought on sale. LOL well that's life.

[CRussel]

I've managed to almost completely avoid buying new books the last couple of months. I think I bought one, no, I'm wrong, I bought another one today. For the rest? I've been using the library very effectively. It helps that one of my libraries is very willing to buy books that I recommend.

Of course, this doesn't correct for the years of binge buying that has me with a fairly large, even by MR standards, TBR.

[DrNefario]

I broke even in May. I haven't actually been buying that much, it's the freebies and loans that are getting me.

However, I am contemplating signing up for a worldcon supporting membership and if I do the Hugo packet will blow my TBR out of the water. I did manage to put it off until the end of May while I did some pre-requisite reading, but if I'm going to do it, it will have to be soon or I won't have time to read anything before the voting deadline.

[PurpleStar]

Wow I have 363 books on my Kobo. That would take years and years to read. Why the heck do I keep buying more? I think it’s obviously an addiction like the title if the thread says. lol

[Tarana]

Originally Posted by PurpleStar

Wow I have 363 books on my Kobo. That would take years and years to read. Why the heck do I keep buying more? I think it’s obviously an addiction like the title if the thread says. lol

I'm listening to a Hypnosis audiobook (for a review) and it occurred to me while all relaxed that maybe the thing to do is imagine all those unread books taking up space in an actual bookshelf. When I had actual books, I never had more than 5 unread books at one time. I'm going to try that and see if that helps.

[PurpleStar]

Originally Posted by Tarana

I'm listening to a Hypnosis audiobook (for a review) and it occurred to me while all relaxed that maybe the thing to do is imagine all those unread books taking up space in an actual bookshelf. When I had actual books, I never had more than 5 unread books at one time. I'm going to try that and see if that helps.

What a pretty book shelf that would be! But I wouldn't have room in my house for all that.

[Tarana]

Originally Posted by PurpleStar

What a pretty book shelf that would be! But I wouldn't have room in my house for all that.

I can understand that. I downloaded a photo of a bookshelf collection that was roughly the size of the unread books and audiobooks I currently have. There were about 7 bookshelves. Of course, I would have had all paperbacks, but still.

[GtrsRGr8]

Originally Posted by PurpleStar

What a pretty book shelf that would be! But I wouldn't have room in my house for all that.

Park your cars outside the garage. Use the garage for your library. I store part ( ) of my library in both bays of my two-car garage.

Too cold in Canada in the winter to park your cars outside? First of all, get your priorities straight! Your library comes first! Secondly, there is this thing known as an engine block heater, that you plug into an electrical outlet, that will keep the oil warm in the engine of a car--I saw the wires for them running through the grilles of cars, when I was in Fairbanks years ago. As far as the ice on the windows is concerned . . . . when I lived in the Midwest as a teenager, I had to scrape my car windows every morning in the winter when it was a school day, while my parents kept their cars in the garage overnight. I was so mistreated!

Oh, in the summer it's a good idea to have a dehumidifier in the garage. Humidity is hard on paper-based books.

[PurpleStar]

Originally Posted by GtrsRGr8

Park your cars outside the garage. Use the garage for your library. I store part ( ) of my library in both bays of my two-car garage.

Too cold in Canada in the winter to park your cars outside? First of all, get your priorities straight! Your library comes first! Secondly, there is this thing known as an engine block heater, that you plug into an electrical outlet, that will keep the oil warm in the engine of a car--I saw the wires for them hanging outside the grilles of cars, when I was in Fairbanks years ago. As far as the ice on the windows is concerned . . . . when I lived in the Midwest as a teenager, I had to scrape my car windows every morning in the winter when it was a school day, while my parents kept their cars in the garage. I was so mistreated!

Oh, in the summer it's a good idea to have a dehumidifier in the garage.

Or just get a Kobo e-reader. Oh! Already done that.

[GtrsRGr8]

Originally Posted by PurpleStar

Or just get a Kobo e-reader. Oh! Already done that.

Good point. I think.

I am working toward swapping as many of the paper-based books to ebooks, as I can.

The problem is, ebooks can disappear. That almost happened to ones that I had purchased from a small vendor. They gave no warning. I happened to catch it just in the nick of time.

[PurpleStar]

Originally Posted by GtrsRGr8

Good point. I think.

I am working toward swapping as many of the paper-based books to ebooks, as I can.

The problem is, ebooks can disappear. That almost happened to ones that I had purchased from a small vendor. They gave no warning. I happened to catch it just in the nick of time.

Always download and back up your ebooks. I should follow my own advice and do that I supose.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by PurpleStar

Always download and back up your ebooks. I should follow my own advice and do that I supose.

After first freeing them with Apprentice Alf, of course. Just in case!

FWIW, using Calibre can help by storing a copy locally. I also have a copy up in the cloud. And on my backup drive. (Belt AND Braces!)

[Tarana]

Originally Posted by GtrsRGr8

Good point. I think.

I am working toward swapping as many of the paper-based books to ebooks, as I can.

The problem is, ebooks can disappear. That almost happened to ones that I had purchased from a small vendor. They gave no warning. I happened to catch it just in the nick of time.

That's why I nag everybody to back up their books as soon as they buy them. I have a bit of a problem with that myself. On the 3rd Friday night of the month, I have a reminder to check that I've downloaded and freed all the ebooks and audiobooks I bought in the last month. Then I add them to the backup. Then I add them to the flashdrive that goes to my off-site backup (has been my sister's but I'm getting a bank safe-deposit box to store that in now- not just books, also family photo scans, favorite movies and important papers). Storage is so small and a WD portable HD fits just so in the box.