The Book Blogger Hop was originally created by Jennifer @ Crazy-For-Books in March 2010 and ended on December 31, 2012. With Jennifer’s permission, Billy @ Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer relaunched the hop on February 15, 2013. Each week the hop will start on a Friday and end the following Thursday. There will be a weekly prompt featuring a book related question. The hop’s purpose is to give bloggers a chance to follow other blogs, learn about new books, befriend other bloggers, and receive new followers to their own blog.
Question:
Do you share books? If so, do you have a system to keep track of whom you lend books to?
(submitted by Elizabeth @ Silver’s Reviews)
Answer:
Definitely! I love to share books. I haven’t been in a lot of situations in the last year where I have the opportunity to talk books and offer up a copy of the perfect book for a friend or acquaintance I see regularly but I still share with family – my husband and my oldest daughter mostly.
I’ve never had a system to keep track of who has what book because I haven’t needed it. I have a memory that even elephants are in awe of. Also, I don’t really lend a book expecting it back. Ones that I would want back, I just don’t lend out.
The only time I had some weirdness over a book was my first year as a school counselor. There was another counselor in the department who I didn’t care for because she was really loud. And, let me tell you, nothing stands out more than a loud person in a counseling office. And, I knew she didn’t really care much for me.
One day, I heard her talking about ghost hunting in the Appalachian Mtns, and I remembered a book club book I had which was ghost stories from that area. It was written by a local writer who came to our book club meeting and signed all of our copies.
So, the light bulb went off and I thought what better way to help build a better relationship with her than to share a book that I knew would be of interest. Usually, I don’t share signed copies of books but this book really wasn’t my cup of tea. Plus, “loud counselor” and I worked in the same office, so I offered to lend it to her and she took it.
That was the last I saw of it. And the relationship didn’t improve at all, so I didn’t feel comfortable asking for it back. Oh well, I did try. And, now she has something to remember me by forever and ever 😉
Do you have any book lending stories?
Tessa Talks Books 
When I was a kid, I had a ton of books and wanted to encourage my younger siblings to read more, so I turned my room into a library. Stuck strips of paper on the backs and labelled it “Return Date.” It didn’t really work, but I still remember it with fondness when I find a stray book that still has that strip of paper on it.
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Awww… how fun even if it didn’t work!
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Yes, I do lend out books. I’ve never had any type of system to keep track of loaned books because I’ve never needed it. I’ve only had one instance when one of my books wasn’t returned📚 to me.
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I think sharing books and sharing our love of books is a great thing.❤️
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🙂
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Great discussion topic! I’m very precious about my books so I will only lend to family and close friends. My mum likes to ask when she can next borrow from my library 😂
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It is kind of like borrowing from a personal library. I’ve said that before about my own bookshelves. I’m sure your mum has fun browsing your books.
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I donated all my physical books. I don’t share my kindle books with friends. But if my sis asks I would. And I would buy every book my niece asks of me
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I bet your niece appreciates her books from you and will never forget that of you ❤️
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Great story that does sound really awkward! I try not to lend them, but I did a few months ago to an old friend who doesn’t read these days. I thought I’d be able to get it back a fairly quickly but she was still reading it when I asked just before Christmas. I really hope I can get back next time I see her as I’d like to read some of it again! 🤞
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I’m sure she’s done by now and appreciated that she was able to enjoy a book loan without the pressure of a deadline like you have with libraries. It’ll be back home, soon! ❤️
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I only loan books to friends who know how much I treasure them, so I know they’ll be taken care of. I do remember loaning a book to a friend when I was around 14. It’s funny that I don’t remember the title of it now, but I still remember than one time my book wasn’t returned, lol.
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It’s traumatic when our beloved books aren’t returned. All of a sudden I thought of Gollum – My precious ❤️ Lol.
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I’ve never really read the same types of books as my friends, so loaning books to other people has never been a thing. We can’t share kindle books in the UK so whilst I probably would if I could, that isn’t something I’ve done either.
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Sorry you never got that book back. I wonder if she still has it.
I lend books, but only to close friends and family, who I know will care for them and return them when they’re done. If it’s a book I don’t need back (I only keep certain titles), I’ll let them know they can keep it or pass it on to someone else once they’re finished.
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Telling them to keep it or pass it on is an excellent way to make room for new books 😊.
And, I imagine she does still have it – either that or it got ruined somehow, which is always a possibility. 🤷🏻♀️
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I love lending books and, like you, don’t lend those that I couldn’t bear not getting back. When they aren’t returned, I like to think that the person I lent it to paid it forward and gave it to someone else.
I do have one lending story that gave me heartburn. I lent my commemorative copy of Princess Diana to a close friend. It was the one with extraordinary photos and was released shortly following her death. My friend kept making excuses until I realized she never had any intentions of giving it back, which told me something about the friendship. I finally went to her house and retrieved it. It was a valuable lesson about me…don’t ever lend something you would have problems with not getting it back. I’ve followed that rule since.
Great question!
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Definitely a life lesson! Some people never cease to amaze me with the choices they think are okay.
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I am sorry about your experience with your coworker. That was a nice gesture you made. I tend not to loan out books I want returned either (unless it’s my immediate family). The last time I was burned was when I loaned a book to a coworker who assured me she would return the book. Another coworker had even told her how serious I was. She ended up loaning it to someone else without asking and that person put it in the recycle bin. Nowadays, most of my reading is e-books, which makes saying no so much easier. I don’t know many people in my personal life with e-readers. I hope you have a great week!
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I did try but, yeah, loaning books out is rather risky – especially to co-workers. I can’t believe the path your book took with co-workers. That’s just crazy. E-readers are the best, aren’t they? Have a great week!
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