Have you ever purchased a book when it was available at a library?

[ownedbycats]

Alternately, have you ever purchased a book after you've had it on loan at the library?

Most times, I borrow it instead (Library Extension tells me if it's available). The exceptions:

- I've purchased a few books I read on Overdrive after liking them enough. Helps that they were heavily discounted (one was free!).

- Dune is kind of a special case. Years ago, I tried to read a physical library copy but it was difficult enough that I couldn't finish it before I had to return and I figured the same would happen if I borrowed on Overdrive. When it came up as daily deal on Kobo, I got it so I could take my time reading (took nearly two months to finish it).

- Another daily deal book was available on Overdrive, but with a ridiculous wait time of like six months. Additionally, I had enough Kobo VIP points to redeem for it.

- In another case, I purchased a book that I could've gotten on Overdrive. In this case, it was part of a Kobo Bonus VIP Points sale and its purchase was just enough to push me to the number of points needed to redeem a wishlisted book.

[Sirtel]

I don't read library books (in my country they're not available for downloading to eink readers), so I purchase everything I read.

[graycyn]

Not often, but certainly sometimes.

Most recently, Sunrise on the Reaping. I would have been content to wait patiently for the library book, BUT, hubby had just finished re-reading the whole Hunger Games series, and he hadn't ever decided on a birthday present he wanted, (he's impossible to shop for), so I suggested that I buy the book for him. Win, win!

Other times, if I've liked a book, I might buy it after having read it through the library, usually if I see a good sale deal.

Another time, I had a hold on a new Laurie R King "Mary Russell" mystery, when a brief and good sale deal came up. I bought the book, cancelled my hold. Something like that is my opportunity to support an author more directly, and if I know it's a series I like, and might re-read, I'm all for it.

It's fair to say that, though the vast majority of my reading is through the library and always has been, I'm open to "ownership opportunities" if the price is right.

[Apache]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

I don't read library books (in my country they're not available for downloading to eink readers), so I purchase everything I read.

I do not read library books either.
Apache

[Cactus Chef]

I have when I really wanted to read the book right now and the library estimated hold time was like 3 months.

[nana77]

I'd found some collections, also some recent ones (time ago), of graphic novels on the main city's library.
Some had like the last two chapter missing and discovered that at the last moment (the volume was marked as available, but even the librarian discovered that he would not be able to know who did appropriated the book).
They had the Akira collection, Moebius, Gipi (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gipi), Corto Maltese (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_P..._Corto_Maltese)... in total those collections would be enough expensive, I'm glad they has it.
Probably I would think to buy some, eventually, but some formats/editions on book stores that includes the whole story in a single graphic-novel volume may be quite smaller, or doesn't use the same paper (and colors would even change)... So to me is waiting if one day I might see for a colour ereader, or choose a convenient volume that includes various chapters, or even wait as sometimes at the newwstand some publisher pulls out a collection, in a nice format and size, one volume montly for some time (I bought as that Asterix, Conan, Magnus, Andrea Pazienza, Valentina by Crepax).. some of them already to finish (so will not think to extend the not readed shelving at the moment anyway ).

[DiapDealer]

I wouldn't even know if the books I want to read are available at a library.

[Scoob]

All the time. I'll only check out print books from a library never an ebook. It's great that they have them but not great how much they pay for an ebook and or other stipulations the publisher places on it.

[copyrite]

I've often purchased books I've borrowed and read via Overdrive to re-read later. Not that I've gotten around to reading a lot of 'em (eyes the TBR pile).

[rantanplan]

I'm not a consistent reader, so one week I may read about 90 minutes a day, another week maybe 30 minutes a day. In some cases that leads to the situation where my rental period is already over so in these cases I just buy the book.

So right now, I'm reading "A Botanical Daughter" and I'm on track finishing the book, but I'm one Nintendo Switch 2 release away from buying the book

[DrNefario]

Yes, a few times. Sometimes it's worth 99p not to have to worry about exactly when I'm going to read it, and whether it will be available at that time.

If I have a book on my wishlist that is also available as an ebook from the library, I put a note on it, but I might still buy it if it goes on sale.

[HappyCalibreUser]

Certainly. But only if I liked the read. Rebecca Ore wrote the science fiction book Becoming Alien is one example. A library book may still have that unopened book smell years later and never been touched, at some point they move most any book out to make ways for some replacement. So a looked for read may not be there for a later read or re-read.

[fjdk]

Quite often actually...obviously need to have liked the book and if it's on sale for a few bucks. There's a few reasons. Sometimes it goes on sale while I'm waiting for the book so I grab it instead of waiting. If I've read the book from the library I'll buy it to have it for a re-read later and not have to worry about it disappearing. I also consider it a donation to the author to keep up the good work.

[bluepeter]

From (roughly) 1965 to 1990, I read library books almost exclusively. I practically lived in the local libraries.

Nowadays, I hardly ever use the library: money is much easier than it was, so I now think nothing of buying books. It's also now more convenient: the advent of web commerce means that I can browse and buy without even leaving the comfort of my armchair. And e-books now offer instant gratification. So I might well have bought books that I could have borrowed, but without even knowing that I had.

In any case, borrowing e-books isn't really an option for me. My local public library nominally supports Libby/Overdrive, but I've found that the selection available is very poor indeed. When I have looked into it, I've been unable to find anything of interest. For example, when I searched for books by Val McDermid (a bestselling author of crime fiction, with dozens of books in print), I wasn't offered a single book. Not one. The list of results started with one by Linda LaPlante - a different author altogether, albeit one who writes in the same genre.

[Graham44]

I've never bothered with Library ebooks, when I first looked (years ago) they were not available for Kindles if I remember rightly, at the time I believe our library didn't use Overdrive I can't remember how it worked. Our library does now use Libby/ Overdrive but the quantity/ quality of ebooks available is somewhat lacking (one could even say c**p ). This coupled with the fact that most ebooks aren't really that expensive I would rather just buy them and own them to be read/ re-read whenever I want.