# Buying or Library? **URL:** \ **Category:** General\ **Created:** [August 2, 2026, 3:57pm UTC](https://community.worldhistory.org/t/buying-or-library/19022 "2026-08-02T15:57:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bristiroy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@bristiroy](https://community.worldhistory.org/u/bristiroy)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2026, 3:57pm UTC](https://community.worldhistory.org/t/buying-or-library/19022/1 "2026-08-02T15:57:47Z")
I have been a book buyer my entire life. But, previously, I only read fiction. Now that I am a History undergraduate, I have begun reading history books apart from my syllabus. The lack of public libraries in the city is quite challenging, as these books are quite expensive (plus I don’t have enough space in my house to hoard books anymore). I am relying on my University’s library, but they tend not to have a lot of the books I look for. Do you prefer buying books or borrowing from libraries? ---
**Author:** ![joannetaylor](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/community.worldhistory.org/joannetaylor/32/50_2.png) [@joannetaylor](https://community.worldhistory.org/u/joannetaylor)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2026, 7:23am UTC](https://community.worldhistory.org/t/buying-or-library/19022/2 "2026-08-03T07:23:45Z")
Great question! I read so much fiction that I make good use of my library app. It’s a bit challenging to buy books where I live, but I try to buy copies of my favourites or books I _need_ to read that I can’t get from the library! ---
**Author:** ![jvdc](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/community.worldhistory.org/jvdc/32/28_2.png) [@jvdc](https://community.worldhistory.org/u/jvdc)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2026, 8:33am UTC](https://community.worldhistory.org/t/buying-or-library/19022/3 "2026-08-03T08:33:03Z")
My problem with library books is that so often they’re sticky to the touch. I just can’t handle that, so I usually buy. Also, I hate reading with glasses, so I’ve now switched to mostly reading eBooks with huge font. 🧐 ---
**Author:** ![Linawyn](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/community.worldhistory.org/linawyn/32/161_2.png) [@Linawyn](https://community.worldhistory.org/u/Linawyn)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2026, 8:52am UTC](https://community.worldhistory.org/t/buying-or-library/19022/4 "2026-08-03T08:52:29Z")
I love the convenience of the library. Our school library is well-stocked so I’m maybe a bit spoiled. Also, not many sticky books in our library! ---
**Author:** ![williamryan90](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/community.worldhistory.org/williamryan90/32/236_2.png) [@williamryan90](https://community.worldhistory.org/u/williamryan90)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2026, 12:51pm UTC](https://community.worldhistory.org/t/buying-or-library/19022/5 "2026-08-03T12:51:54Z")
I buy books, even though i do go to the library to have an auld read sometime. But to borrow? I would like too, but i don’t because. 1. Ownership, i like to own books. 2. I do care for my books, but i feel they’re a need of extra care when borrowing from the Library. But of course the problem is space, the times i had to make book cases so i can get more books. Maybe i am a book goblin 🤣🤣🤣 ---
**Author:** ![emf202](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/community.worldhistory.org/emf202/32/211_2.png) [@emf202](https://community.worldhistory.org/u/emf202)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2026, 2:15pm UTC](https://community.worldhistory.org/t/buying-or-library/19022/6 "2026-08-03T14:15:35Z")
I used to say that if a book is worth reading it is worth buying (considering the hours you need to read it) and I would make sure I’d keep only the best books and get rid of the rest, Not anymore. Now I prefer to download books from Anna’s Archive (pdf or epub). And I have created my own private local webpages with the books I have read and the books I’d like to read. The problem is that by now my books I’ve read private library webpage has grown fartoo long (over 200 books), so I plan to divide it in 2 webpages, my 100 best and the rest. ---
**Author:** ![michaelgrant.8eu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a3d4f5/32.png) [@michaelgrant.8eu](https://community.worldhistory.org/u/michaelgrant.8eu)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2026, 5:45pm UTC](https://community.worldhistory.org/t/buying-or-library/19022/7 "2026-08-03T17:45:18Z")
Hello Roy, Having begun life with dyslexia, books became trophies of achievements. In my youth more novels. But I soon decided that novels took up space and unless I was going to read it again they went out. History books become irreplaceable, until updated; philosophy, sciences, politics and biographies take time and space, but handling them, page markers etc make them special and your own note books, scraps of paper added between pages, little flags saying “ this is great, read again!” EBay, Amazon second hand, abebooks and loads of second hand platforms make many lines accessible. Good luck. M ---
**Author:** ![lianamiate](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/community.worldhistory.org/lianamiate/32/49_2.png) [@lianamiate](https://community.worldhistory.org/u/lianamiate)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2026, 7:09am UTC](https://community.worldhistory.org/t/buying-or-library/19022/8 "2026-08-04T07:09:09Z")
I am a book buyer! I have been told multiple times to get a Kindle, but I refuse, even if I am running out of space to put all my books. To be honest, I haven’t borrowed books from the library since I was in high school. ---
**Author:** ![jvdc](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/community.worldhistory.org/jvdc/32/28_2.png) [@jvdc](https://community.worldhistory.org/u/jvdc)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2026, 8:23am UTC](https://community.worldhistory.org/t/buying-or-library/19022/9 "2026-08-04T08:23:02Z")
> [@emf202](#): > > Now I prefer to download books from Anna’s Archive (pdf or epub). I just want to point out that many (but not all) of the books linked in Anna’s Archive are in fact illegal downloads. As a publisher ourselves, we highly discourage illegal downloading of content. ---
**Author:** ![JPryst](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/community.worldhistory.org/jpryst/32/168_2.png) [@JPryst](https://community.worldhistory.org/u/JPryst)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2026, 8:28pm UTC](https://community.worldhistory.org/t/buying-or-library/19022/10 "2026-08-10T20:28:21Z")
I’ve always bought books. There have been times I’ve borrowed from a library for research but I wound up regretting that because, later, I didn’t have it when I was writing on the same or a similar topic. Every time I’ve moved from one place to another, the biggest pain has been moving all the books. ---
**Author:** ![jvdc](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/community.worldhistory.org/jvdc/32/28_2.png) [@jvdc](https://community.worldhistory.org/u/jvdc)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2026, 6:18am UTC](https://community.worldhistory.org/t/buying-or-library/19022/11 "2026-08-11T06:18:45Z")
Benefit of that is having your own personal library at home, which is admittedly very cool to have. 🤓 ---
**Author:** ![JPryst](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/community.worldhistory.org/jpryst/32/168_2.png) [@JPryst](https://community.worldhistory.org/u/JPryst)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2026, 9:35pm UTC](https://community.worldhistory.org/t/buying-or-library/19022/12 "2026-08-20T21:35:58Z")
It is immensely cool to have. It was cool to have long before I wrote for WHE but it is pretty much essential to have now. ---
**Author:** ![jvdc](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/community.worldhistory.org/jvdc/32/28_2.png) [@jvdc](https://community.worldhistory.org/u/jvdc)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2026, 12:32pm UTC](https://community.worldhistory.org/t/buying-or-library/19022/13 "2026-08-21T12:32:41Z")
Well you’re our walking and talking encyclopedia of history… isn’t the full library in your head by now? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![JPryst](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/community.worldhistory.org/jpryst/32/168_2.png) [@JPryst](https://community.worldhistory.org/u/JPryst)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2026, 12:48pm UTC](https://community.worldhistory.org/t/buying-or-library/19022/14 "2026-08-21T12:48:05Z")
HA HA HA HA - I suppose so. I do still periodically have to check dates though. ---
**Author:** ![Hot-Spot-History](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/community.worldhistory.org/hot-spot-history/32/544_2.png) [@Hot-Spot-History](https://community.worldhistory.org/u/Hot-Spot-History)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2026, 10:16pm UTC](https://community.worldhistory.org/t/buying-or-library/19022/15 "2026-09-03T22:16:38Z")
I both buy and borrow books. I borrow specialized literature that I only need to use once, while keeping fundamental works on my subject at home. My city has an excellent university library as well as very good general libraries. I buy a lot of used books—they aren’t dirty—so my passion for book-buying remains relatively affordable. During the coronavirus epidemic, when all the libraries were closed, I was grateful to have my own library. I wouldn’t want to be without it. I am using Google Translate, so please excuse any errors.