[1/365] library

[cosmolinguist]

Still don't know if I'll write every day this year, but I didn't want to fall down at the first hurdle.

I finally got public library membership sorted out the other day, in amongst the more fearsome admin I've been trying to tackle. I've had a library card forever but when I tried to use it to download ebooks or audiobooks I'd get errors saying my details couldn't be found, but if I tried to set up a new membership it said there already was one corresponding to those details.

It had been plaguing me just before pandemic times in March, when I was hoping to borrow a book for a uni essay, and then I'd just lost heart and gave up. But the other day I realized I've acquired a new name and a new email address this year so it'd be pretty easy to tell the library I am a new person.

That worked great for now! I'm supposed to go to the library to pick up my actual membership card within two months according to the automated message -- which I'm not sure will be even possible, much less something I'd consider -- and show proof of address which is tricky when I used the name I don't really get mail in, but all that's a problem for future-me.

For now I can read a book about NASA history and a book I've already read about cricket -- that's the kind of comfort reading I can contemplate at the moment.

Comments

[meepettemu]

My library app sent me an email saying I have 12 months to prove I’m a person because of covid, so I hope yours comes up with something sensible too!

[cosmolinguist]

Oh good! Yeah, if they really try to cut off my electronic library access in two months I'll shout at them. It's just not a necessary risk.

[meepettemu]

No it really isn’t. I have a library branch on my road but meh. What’s the point?!

[barakta]

Yay libraries. I should really look at what Brum's lot do for e-reading as I just can't manage print anymore.

[cosmolinguist]

I hope you can find some more suitable books. :)

[redbird]

What sort of proof of address do they want? Does it have to be official, or would anything that came in the mail addressed to the name you've given them work?

When I moved to Massachusetts, I applied for a library card right away, even before I'd received an electric bill or anything else even vaguely official with my name and that address. This happens enough that the library worker pulled out a postcard and asked me to write my name and address on it, and told me to bring the card back when it arrived in the mail, and they'd issue the library card.

[cosmolinguist]

Oh interesting!

Well now the UK is in lockdown for another six weeks so I have a pretty good reason to not worry about this yet.

[otter]

Our library system is cooperative between counties, so I use the one that I don't need to set up a separate online account for. Which happens to be the county I don't live in.

[cosmolinguist]

Figures. :)

[po8crg]

If and when you need something official-looking sent to you, I can probably do you a letter on our corporate letterhead. Scary lawyers usually work.

[haggis]

I was going to offer to write a letter but this probably works better!

[nou]

One of my library accounts got so messed up electronically that the staff member who’d been trying to sort it out gave up and just had me use their own card number to access the online services. (A year or so later it stopped working, presumably because they’d left, but it turned out my own one had magically started working by then.)

[jesse_the_k]

Proof positive that librarians are magic.

[annofowlshire]

Well, at least you get to have some books before all the admin!

I’m the same way on the 366 posting—I’m giving it a start, but I’m not sure if I plan to do it all year.

[annofowlshire]

Also, I still use the Seattle system for ebooks. I’m technically the resident of the last place in the US I lived, and it’s got more ebook options than the London borough I last lived in. I don’t expect I’ll be getting a local library card any time soon, given the current situation.....

[cosmolinguist]

Oh I hadn't thought of using the library where I used to live... But it's so rural I'd be very surprised if it had an online system at all. You never know these days, though! I should suggest it to my dad, he's got a Kobo and a library membership there.

[silveradept]

I am glad that things got sorted for you, and forgot your library is one like mine that didn't get too terribly fussed about what counts as address proof, or is selling to send you a physical card in the mail when it is safe to do so.

[cosmolinguist]

Well I hope they aren't too terribly fussed! I'll find out I guess. :)

[rmc28]

Hah, must be something in the air. I spent the early hours of 1 January looking up books on my "to buy" list on Amazon in the Cambridgeshire library system, making a couple of reservations, and actually borrowing an audiobook, which worked first time, I was astonished.

I asked for my reservations to come to a smaller branch in the Cambridge suburbs. It's not actually much closer to me than the city centre but it has the profound advantage of not being in the city centre, and it's open on Saturday mornings.

[cosmolinguist]

Yeah a less busy location seems worth it even if it's not really closer. Hooray for your audiobook and reserved books!

[tarasacon]

Huh. My library is waiving all late fees, not imposing any restrictions that would normally kick in from excess fees, has extended all recently expired (or about to expire) cards, and is granting new cards virtually.

Also, there’s curbside/pedestrian pickup, and an absolutely massive increase in their ebook holdings. (They only recently started allowing in person computer use, one person at a time, by appointment only. And up to 25 copies made for free, also by appointment only. You note which pages, the librarian does it for you. Face mask and a temperature check required before entering. No wandering freely - there’s a small zone where you are allowed.)