So, I live in a small town in the countryside, and one of my favourite pastimes, is to visit the local public library. It isn’t very large, and its collection hasn’t been updated in a few decades, but I love it. I love how can I go into a building full of books, pick a few, read and take them home with me at any time.
I recently started visiting my local library more frequently since I have more time. I’ve managed to find several little treasures among its shelves, books that are too old or too obscure to be found in a conventional bookstore or online (at least for a reasonable price). Just today I borrowed the novel The House on the Borderland by William Hope Hodgson. I had read about it online, but I was never able to find a copy – and lo and behold, my library has an old, mass market paperback translated copy among its shelves! I also noticed the short novella Lady Into Fox by David Garnett, again translated by some small indie publishing house, and I plan on taking it next.
Although the library collection doesn’t have more recent titles of the more popular authors like Maas or Yarros, I’m pleased to have found many other, obscure titles among its shelves, that I don’t think I’d be able to read otherwise. The place is usually also filled with people, mostly uni students doing work, but it is nice to see that the space is respected and used, even If you won’t find the latest bestsellers stocked among its shelves.
I had no other reason to write all this, other than to yap about how much I love public libraries. I suppose I’d like to know, about surprising/obscure titles you’ve discovered in public libraries, maybe a book you’d heard about online but couldn’t find it in a bookstore, and your library just happened to have a 30-year-old copy of it – or really, anything you want to say about public libraries you think doesn’t need its own post.
by A_Guy195
6 Comments
That’s pretty cool! I don’t have any libraries near me lmao
public libraries are the best. you never know what gems you’ll stumble across, and that vibe of just being surrounded by books is unmatched. found a bunch of cool obscure titles over the years, but that thrill of discovering something special like you did with *The House on the Borderland* is what it’s all about.
Remember inter library loan
those forgotten gems are why i keep going back to libraries even with everything being digital now. found a first edition copy of some obscure architecture book from the 60s in my local branch last month – the kind that would cost me 200+ online if i could even find it. the librarian told me it was donated by some professor’s estate and just been sitting there for years.
what really gets me is how these older collections have stuff that publishers just don’t bother reprinting anymore. like you mentioned hodgson – that guy’s work is so hard to find in physical form these days unless you want to pay collector prices. your library probably has books that are basically out of print everywhere else, just waiting on dusty shelves for someone who actually knows what they’re looking at.
the university crowd using it for study space is actually pretty cool too. reminds me that libraries aren’t just book warehouses anymore, they’re still genuine community spaces where people actually show up and use the resources. beats scrolling through endless digital catalogs trying to find something you didn’t even know existed in first place.
I fucking love my local library.
I’ve been going to the library every day to cure my boredom! It’s amazing! Quiet, calm, and now I’ve read many books…and counting!