Here in the sunny Silicon Valley, we have a pretty kick-ass library system. Or at least those of us living in SanJo do. It's like a hybrid between a regular bookstore (a la Borders, Barnes and Nobles) and Amazon.com. Let me explain.SJ public libraries have a central online system that allows you to locate a book, from the comfort of home, and put it on hold in any branch library of your choice. When the requested book arrives at your branch, it is placed on a designated hold shelf with a handy-dandy tag on which your first initial and last name are printed. All you have to do is show up, go to said shelf, grab your book(s), and check them out. Oh, and did I mention ALL of this is completely free of charge? Not only that, but several branches have received multi-million dollar renovations so you might actually want to stay awhile. And tell me...how many libraries have their own Flickr page and wireless?!
This is all VERY good news for an avid (and poor) bibliophile like myself. I still use Amazon.com, though mostly to keep track of books I want to check out in the future (the online library list only lets you hold 10 books at a time). For what it's worth, here are the ten books on my hold list:
The Whimsical Bakehouse: Fun to Make Cakes that Taste as Good as They Look
The Forgotten Garden: A Novel
The Seance
Lowboy: A Novel
Blueberry Girl
Fevre Dream
The History of the Snowman
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
Olives and Oranges: Recipes and Flavor Secrets from Italy, Spain, Cyprus, and Beyond
Fruitless Fall: The Collapse of the Honey Bee and the Coming Agricultural Crisis
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