TGIF at GReads #4: Buy or Borrow?

It's TGIF time!!!!

Happy Friday,

Fellow Book Lovers!!!!!

This blog hop is hosted by Ginger,

at the awesome 

GReads!

Each Friday, a question is posted, and the 

week's blog posts are re-capped.

To join in the fun,

just publish your own post,

and then link up to the hosting blog's hop page!

Here's this week's question:

Buy or Borrow:

Where do the books that you read

come from? The bookstore? 

The library?

Do you prefer to own a book,

or have it on loan?

Oh, I definitely have to own my books!!  For me, there's no other option.  Furthermore, my books have to be the printed versions.  I absolutely refuse to read ebooks!  I don't want a Kindle or a Nook.  I need to own a physical book.  So, there are lots of them all over our apartment, which drives my non-bookworm husband to distraction sometimes...

I can still remember the first time I went to the library with my mom, at the age of eleven.  One of the books I picked out was a collection of Arabian fairy tales (I think it might have been the Arabian Nights, simplified for children).  Well, I really got attached to that book!  So, the day we had to go return it was a sad one for me.  I had to say good-bye to a book I had already started to love as my own... 

I did continue to go to libraries after this initial experience, but I told myself that I'd start collecting books as soon as I was old enough to make my own money.  Thus my personal library got started, and just grew and grew... I haven't been to a public library in years!  (Another reason I stopped going was the...er...rather large late fines I used to get...)

I buy most of my books online -- from either Amazon, eBay, or The Book Depository.  However, from time to time, I do visit my local Barnes & Noble.  Occasionally I go to a great indie bookstore, Books & Books, which is in the same area of the city as B&N.  Books & Books is great because it hosts author events 365 days a year!  Of course, I only attend if I'm interested in the book and the author.  Authors present their books, answer questions from the audience, and then have a signing session, in which attendees can get their picture taken with the author!  I haven't gone to one of these in a while, though, because books purchased at these events are more expensive...

I don't like to read books borrowed from other people, either, nor do I lend mine out.  Once, in high school, I lent a classmate a paperback copy of my very favorite book, Jane Eyre.  Needless to say, when I got it back, it wasn't in the same condition...  I haven't lent anyone one of my treasures again!!

By the way, since I'm so possessive with my books, I make sure they're officially mine.  I print (by hand) my name and the year of purchase on the inside front cover, if the book's a paperback.  If it's a hardcover, I paste a bookplate on the first page, next to the inside front cover.    Oh, and I love to laminate my books, too!  I buy rolls of plastic laminate from Amazon, and cover my books with it. 

Yes, I'm an obsessed bibliophile.  I freely admit it!   And I have proof.  Just take a look...

These are all on top of my night table,

as well as part of the headboard.

Floor to ceiling bookshelves in our bedroom!

These are on top of my dresser!

This week at
 A Night's Dream of Books

TGIF at Greads #3

Book Recommendations

Shelf Candy Saturday #3

Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte

On My Bookshelves #15

Wishlist Wednesday #1
Magician: Apprentice,
by Raymond E. Feist