What Happened to All the Library Ebooks!?

I got a terrifying email from my local library system. They will NO LONGER be offering Ebooks with Libby. I went through the five stages of grief over the next few hours.

Denial – It must be a mistake. Or a scammer! They probably put in some link for innocent library patrons to click.

Anger – They can’t do this! I’ve been using Libby for years to read books. This isn’t right. *Tiny pitchfork in hand*

Bargaining – I swear I will go to the actual library again and not return the books on time. Like I always do. That way, you’ll have more money! So you can get Libby back!

Depression – *crying*

Acceptance – Well, I still have two other library cards. I guess that’s okay. Maybe Cloud Library will be good.

I imagine many of you use the library. I know I cannot afford to buy the number of books that I read. And I still spend way too much money on them. But our libraries are suffering here in the United States. (For those of you who are international, I hope yours are thriving!) They’ve lost a lot of their funding in the last few months. While ongoing lawsuits may help to stem the flow, if you live in a smaller or more rural area, your library is sure to feel these cuts more dramatically. Frankly, it’s depressing and I hate thinking about how libraries are somehow not universally loved and elevated. Apparently they are not, so they’re being forced to work with a lot less. I haven’t used Cloud Library much yet, but as I understand, it doesn’t work with Kindles. You’ll need to have a different e-reader to get the books. It also doesn’t seem to have newer books or as many to choose from. But on the plus side, there seem to be shorter wait times. It seems like it is cheaper for libraries. I understand why they might need to change.

So what can you do if you still want to access library e-books? First of all, no library patron should only belong to one library! Often you can belong to the ones nearest to you even if you don’t live in the official area. I belong to the library system for Pittsburgh even though I don’t live there or even in the county. Additionally, many states have libraries that are open to every resident. PA has The Free Library of Philadelphia. It was very easy to get a library card via email. I think I have to renew it every year, but it isn’t hard. I’ve borrowed a lot of books from them over the years. To find your state library, just search free *insert state* library. I did this for Ohio and got the State Library of Ohio.

Books Unbanned is a collection of libraries that offer free library cards to teens. God, they are so lucky. Make sure you read this collection of Books You Didn’t Read in School But Should Have, before they are all banned into oblivion.

There are also several online booksellers that offer used books for so absurdly cheap. I just found out about World of Books. And I can’t decide if someone should have told be about them sooner or if I never should have learned of them. I am not sponsored by them, so this is just my fully raw opinion and it is that this place is amazing. I just bought 8 books for like $35. With shipping. They’re used, but that’s no problem for me. I am already planning my next 500 purchases.

Many libraries have a ‘Friend of the Library’ group that you can join. These people are volunteers who often pay a small fee (ours is $5) to join. There are some perks, like early access to used book sales, but really they are just enthusiasts who help support the library. The American Library Association has a lot of good information for anyone looking to be an advocate for our libraries, as well.

If you know of any other resources, please drop them below. Support your local libraries so we can keep them going.