Book Buying Habits Tag

I found this Book Buying Habits Tag over at Zeezee With Books who got it from the creator, Booktuber Megan Olivier, who doesn't seem to be active anymore.  I thought it looked fun and a bit different from what I usually see.

Where Do You Buy Your Books?

A mix of places.  I try and visit my local bookstores - an indie, Barnes and Noble, and a couple of different used bookstores regularly because I want them all to stay in business.  I also use thriftbooks and occasionally Amazon as well.

Do You Ever Preorder Books, and if So Do You Do This Online or In-Store?

Very rarely and when I do I typically preorder online because I'm lazy.

On average, how many books a month do you buy?  

I'd say maybe 5 a month though I tend to run pretty feast or famine.  Sometimes I'm buying books by the dozen and then I might go a month or two without buying any or only one or two.  I'm trying to read more from my shelves and from the library this year so that number may drop.

Do you use your local library?

Yes!  I love my library and use it regularly.  It's easy to get books transferred from other branches to the one closest to me and right now I have 4 books on the way.  I especially use the audio programs (both Libby and Hoopla) and get a lot of cookbooks from them as well.   The website will also store lists and you can categorize them and I spend WAY to much time doing that!

If so - how many books can you/do you borrow at a time?

I think the cap for physical books might be 30 but I tend to borrow around 5 at a time - inclduing cookbooks.  For audio I think the limit might be 10 but I'm one at a time there so it doesn't really matter.

What is your opinion on library books

Love them! Especially cookbooks.  My only issue is when a book is really bulky it's not a good book to read in bed or in the bath but that's not really library book specific.

How do you feel about second-hand books?

For the most part I love them though I have had a few that smelled really strongly of smoke or mold and those don't even come in the house.   I haven't had that issue in a longtime though but it happened occasionally when I was doing paperbackswap.com years ago.

Do you keep your read and TBR pile together/on the same shelf or not?

Not really.  I don't keep that many of my read books but when I do they're usually separate from the books I'm going to read.

Do you plan to read all the books you own?

That's the plan and I also plan to read all the books on my library lists and all the new ones that catch my eye and I'm not stopping shopping anytime soon.  I'm not sure how realistic of a plan it is but it is the plan!

What do you do with books you own that you feel you'll never read/felt you didn't enjoy?

Typically once I finish a book I'll trade it in to one of the used bookstores for credit.  If it's not something I think they'll take I'll usually donate it or give it to someone I think will like it.  I don't keep the majority of the books I've read unless I feel like I'll reread them or they're special for whatever reason.  I'm not great about admitting I won't read something but when I do it's usually the same result.

Have you ever donated books?

Sometimes but usually not unless the library is taking donations.

Have you ever been on a book-buying ban?

Not really - at least not an official one.  My focus sometimes changes to reading my own books so I take a break from buying but then sometimes I really want to go buy books.

Do you feel that you buy too many books?

No.  As long as I have shelf space I'm not going to worry about it!

What are your book buying/library habits?