DECAF for you, my friend.

And also, IPOD?! I met a wickedly handsome musician over the weekend (yes, my husband was there), and I *really* like his music, but I was too embarrassed to ask if I could get the album on CASSETTE, b/c that is what is in my car. Rockin' old school, yo.

Once or twice a year,usually spring and fall, my library has an AMNESTY DAY where you can return books that are wayyyyyy overdue and not even have to pay the fines - of course, you can't check anything out between those dates...

I too support litteracy. Yay for lateness. Just think someday soon people may be returining YOUR book to the library late!

I had to drive in to work today so I am on coffee #4 ... does it show? what? am I talking too fast? dawg? dawg? what up?

I have a confession: I have not stepped foot in a library since I graduated from college about fifte...uhm, lots of years ago. You have inspired me to think about going back. Atlanta traffic would also give me lots of time to listen. My 5 mile commute takes me 40 minutes.

Laurie,
When I was single I used my answering machine to remind me of things I needed to do when I got home from work--I always seemed to forget all about them by the time I got home, but always checked my machine! Would have asked my kitty to remind me, but she was no good at talking. For your issue with the library I would suggest that you set up an email to go to yourself a couple of days before the books are due. I use Outlook at work and it has that option. You can set it to go out on a specific day at a specific time. Anyway, it's a thought.

I, too am a library criminal. I have a large fine that I need to pay as well. I have to start listening to books because my reading time is almost always replaced with sock knitting. There's only so many TiVo'd Dr. Phil's one can watch before someone starts self-diagnosing and that never, ever ends up well. (A "friend" of mine does this all the time and I think she needs to stop)(as quickly as possible, too!)

I have a house STACKED to the CEILING with books that are simply miserable with neglect. I hope they don't mind if I cheat on them with audio books.

Will you do an audio version of your book?? Please??

For more than just words, try listening to John Hodgman's book, The Areas of My Expertise (he's PC from the I'm a Mac ads and also on The Daily Show). Super funny, and he has a troubadour play guitar for things like the 51 state songs.

I firmly believe that the public library should hold an annual amnesty day where any and all materials can be returned with no questions asked, not fees, nothing. Just think of all of the materials that would be thrown back in to circulation.
Marlboros are $7.99 a pack?? Holy cr@p!!

I'm the same way with DVD rentals. I am singlehandedly paying the salary of two full-time employees at Bradley Video. This is in addition to my membership with Netflix. What can I say? I like my movies. :)

OOH! Audio books are the greatest for commutes! My favorites ever (for the awesome sound effects and well-read nature) are: The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd and Getting Mother's Body by Suzan-Lori Parks (which has awesome singing in it too! Singing you could never get by reading the book!). I also love Andrew Weil on audio as well - but basically I just heart Andrew. :)

I borrowed the first Harry Potter book on CD back in August (2006) when I went half blind (optic neuritis in one eye) and was totally heartbroken that reading was difficult and incredibly painful. (I'm a 'little' better now)

I kind of forgot to return it before it was overdue...(along with 4 crochet pattern books) so now I have a $25 bazillion dollar fine to pay. I've returned the books, but have yet to pay the fine. My hometown sends those fines out to collection agencies after awhile, so hopefully I'll get the $$ together to pay it soon.

Laurie, does your library have access online? My library has one where you can borrow audio books and eBooks online...just download them and play the audio on your computer or iPod...only drawback to that is that they can only be played during the "checkout" time. After so much time (3 weeks?) the audio file or eBook file becomes unusable. If you didnt finish the book, then you have to check it out again...and you cant burn the file to CD to keep forever.

I call it "deadbeat philanthropy." I'm pretty good at it.

There was a certain urgency and fervor to today's post, but 4 cups of coffee explains it!! :) I love how "street" you are, Laurie! And the library is the BEST - I enjoy an endless stream of chick lit. My library even has movies (maybe they all do but I was amazed). Can I also harken back to a few posts ago and say congrats again on the whole book thing? I continue to be speechless with admiration (this lengthy comment notwithstanding!)

I've been thinking about getting audiobooks to listen to while I knit, but believe it or not (because I *love* my local library and will drop in there at 10 am for only 10 minutes just to look at the knitting books and what do you mean I'm late picking up the kids from school?) it had not occurred to me that I could get them for *free* from my friendly local library.

See how brilliant you are? Btw I do that rationalization thing with the library fines too. It's healthy.

Gosh, Laurie, were we separated at birth? No, that won't work, I'm a good ten years older than you. Anyway, I'm always resolving that THIS will be the year (or month--I try to be realistic) that I will get my books/tapes/whatever back to the library on time. Doesn't happen. But I do tend to think that people like us make it possible for them to buy more books.

My library has a nice Self Help section as well as a very good Mystery section, both in paper books and audio books. Tony Hillerman translates well to audio. Also, have you heard Marianne Williamson's lectures--the series called something like "Marianne Williamson on (insert topic here)"--they're helpy and very funny too. She's always telling stories on herself.

Oh, and hey! I saw a bear this weekend! Not at the zoo! I posted about it on the blog--in all your spare time go over and take a look if you can. Nothing to do with your post, but I thought you might enjoy the story--it also involves an outhouse, but not at the same time as the bear.

I second the suggestion to check for ebooks from your library.

LOL on Vanessa noticing the cigarette prices and not making mention of $3.69 a gallon for premium. ps - I second that emotion.

ok, I had a dream last night that I singlehandedly got CostCo to carry and sell your book. I'm having dreams about a person I've never met and a book I have yet to read. Now that's a little crazy.

put our podcast on your ipod....it's FREE and has NO late charges. Ever.

Am I reading that sign correctly? $8 FOR A PACK OF CIGARETTES?

I dunno. $8 for a pack of smokes would totally be worth it on a Monday like toMonday.

I'm terrible about returning library books too...my boyfriend would always get on me about how I'd rack up crazy fines and have to pay them or risk being tracked down by the Library Police. It didn't help that my aunt's a librarian, and I have friends who worked in the local library system.

But then I discovered this cool little app for my Mac called "Library Books" (cryptic, I know). It connects to the library's online system, so I can just go to it, browse the catalog, reserve books, and best of all, it has a little icon that tells me how many books I have checked out, and it changes color a couple of days before they're due!

And actually, even better (I lied before about "best of all"), it puts a reminder in iCal for me, so I can also set that to pop up a message! I've probably saved money because I insisted on getting a Mac. Really!

I also think of my fines as "donations". I usually let 'em keep the change too...if I owe $4.10, I give 'em a five or something. Small, but I like to think it adds up.

My mom once made friends with a library lady and ended up getting our 150.00 in fines 'forgiven' by the library. I haven't ever heard of anything like that happening, but it's totally true. :D Enjoy your audiobooks.

P.S. Do you have any audiobook reccomendations? I will be going on a long trip soon.

I know you get a whole lot of advice from your readers and our self-helpy suggestions must be overwhelming for you at times but this one REALLY works. Check out the library's website and sign-up for an on-line account. Once you're signed up, they'll send you an e-mail to notify you TWO DAYS before your books/tapes/movies are due (providing ample time to locate said items)!! I could have built a whole new library just with the fines I paid since they removed the due-date cards from the little pocket inside the back cover. They also give you a receipt when you check material out but I always manage to lose those. (Why do I need a receipt to tell me when a book is due? I'm not stupid...I can remember to return it in 3 weeks!!! Sheesh!!)

i discovered audio books not too long ago and can now commute peacefully without flipping everyone around me off.

If you want the John Hodgeman book (it's very funny!), it used to be free on iTunes. And if it's not anymore, I can make you a CD. Also, I know you live relatively far away from it, but the Bevery Hills library will call you when your books are overdue, which is very helpful.

Laurie,

If you love audio books, you will seriously go crazy about the Playaway. It is a relatively new idea and company...I actually do "quality control" by sitting at home and listening to all of the tracks for glitches. I love it!! You must check it out.

I make the Yahoo calendar send my phone a text message to remind me the day before my books are due. It (mostly) works.

Laurie, I always feel so bad returning things late -- but hey I feel the same way supporting literacy. Im having a sicky week bb/c we just told the kids after 10 years we're gettign D_I_V_O_R_C_E_D maybe you can get this --i'm not sad my marriage is over im sad about all the implications that means... i turned to mush after going to a party where I saw the grandparents holdings hands-- that won't be us, ya know ?lord Im a mess-- please keep me laughing Im re-reading all the older entries as well

One more thing...they have them at libraries!! I got so exicted about the product that I failed to mention the whole point of my story!!!! Also, it is a pre-loaded audion device like an Ipod...it already has the content on it. It is a self-contained audio book unit. What could be more gratifying than that?

1. No, you're totally right. Libraries are chronically underfunded, rack up those fines and consider it a charitable donation! I am a librarian in training, and have had several knitting books out for way longer than I should have, but I was using them for a project (yes, in library school you occasionally get to write about whatever you damn well please, and for me that meant knitting. You know.), and decided not to worry about it too much.
2. John Hodgman's book comes in audio book form. You know, the geeky PC guy from the Mac and PC commercials? He's also on the Daily Show, and his book is called The Areas of My Expertise, and is insane. It is probably geekier than anything you will have dealt with up to this point, and it is very long, because there are like, 4 hours or something dedicated to the list of 700 hobo names, read while Jonathan Colton plays "Big Rock Candy Mountain" in the background, but it's so, so worth it. Enjoy!

I absolutely love audio books! Good readers are really important, too, so look at who's reading something you like and if you see him or her reading something else, give it a try. I'd listen to George Guidell (professional reader) read anything, Jim Dale (who reads the Harry Potter books) is awesome, and really no one should read Douglas Adams' books but him (although full cast productions are fun too).

And your supporting literacy rationalization is great thinking, if you ask me, but if it cuts into your budget that much, maybe it's going a little far? Food for thought...

I was commuting ~90 miles one way this spring to teach a class, and audio books saved me (from falling asleep at the wheel).

I highly recommend the Harry Potter books (read by Jim Dale, who does something like 150 voices for the different characters), and also anything by Douglas Adams, because he read all of his own stuff, and laughing out loud when you're alone in the car (or on a bus full of strangers, for that matter) feels good.

I made it through all 6 of the HP books this semester, which I've read (dork alert) multiple times. I started reading them aloud to my daughter when she was 6, but when the last one came out, I holed up in the bedroom with it for the weekend and wouldn't let her read it until I was finished.

For something a little heavier, I listened to The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins, read by the author and his wife. One of those books that makes you think.

Laurie, have you listened to Eat,Pray,Love by Elizabeth Gilbert? If you haven't, you must. It's read by the author and is fantastically engrossing. I think you would like it a lot.

My $.02,
Kim

Isn't our friend, Christine G. brilliant! She comes up with great ideas.

Yes, I do think our library has an amnesty day regarding outstanding fines. You should check into that. OR, remember our other mutual FRIEND who now works at the LA Central Library in a high-up position? Maybe he could do something about having the Library waive your fines. Just sayin', is all.

I am terrible with the library stuff too. I even set my Goggle calendar up to remind me when to return books, 2 days early, and they were still late. I wish my library did that e-checkout thing, I would totally use that.

So when will we be able to listen to DD&CICH as an audiobook?

Let me tell you, the only good thing about working as a librarian in a public library was the lack of library fines. It wasn't worth it, which tells you how bad it was because I check out A LOT of stuff from the library. When I'm organized I enter all my due dates into my Palm Pilot. When I'm not I make a lot of "contributions" to the library. ;-)

Have you ever listened to Having our say: the Delany sisters' first 100 years? It's a really good book, plus the audio book is read by Whoopi Goldberg. And I highly recommend the Harry Potter books on cd. Jim Dale is the most amazing voice actor I've ever heard.

So who are you rooting for on Idol now that Blake's gone? We love Jordan in our house. :-)

I am way into audiobooks from the library, also. My Outlook reminds me every Friday to check the library website for what I have coming due, and then I try to renew everything online that's due prior to the next reminder, if I can't then it's a trip to the library that weekend. But once in a while those audio CD's from the library just will not load -- the last one wouldn't, so on to the next. Does my weekly reminder completely prevent literacy donations to the library? Of course not, but it sure helps.

I once had $115.00 worth of library fines because I ignored the little notices from the library thinking I could just take the books back at any time. Not so! I also didn't know that library fines can count against your credit rating (I was saved from this by returning the books and paying the fine). I pity the fool who messes with the public library. Librarians look serious for a reason.

I used to travel a lot back and forth between South Carolina and Missouri and so I had a ton of audio books. I never got them from the library because I knew myself too well. I'd never return them.... I wouldn't do it on time, and then I'd feel bad because I'd be so late with them so I'd just keep them. Instead I bought audiobooks and shared them with other folks in my office. My two favorites were Pompeii and Ava's Man. Be careful though, Ava's Man may bring on the ugly cry....

Hi, I'm NFH, and I rent books and CDs....from the library! I'm also a bad Mom, because I don't take the kids to the library anymore because, well, they won't let me take more stuff out, so what's the point?

Yeah. Renting books. Supporting literacy. yo.

My library has totally lost out on $$$ since setting up an online system that lets me "manage" my account and emails me when items are due. How many times can you "renew item"?

I feel the same way about library fines...I'm supporting the library. If I really have to, I can justify parking tickets the same way.

I am my little library's "best user" for audio books. Using them on my commute saves my sanity and keeps me from having to choose between knitting and reading when I'm home :) I'm so happy that when I got this car I put in a radio that plays both CD's and Cassettes - I don't have to choose books based on the media.

The only problem I ever had was when I was so caught up in a Harry Potter book I went past my exit and didn't realize it until I was blowing past the exit after that one. It was another 10 miles to an exit -- I was just a wee bit late for work that day...

So funny that you posted this today. I just signed up online to an audiobook place that operates like Netflix...I can't wait.

I read in the newspaper that gas prices were up to $3.00. Where's that place? I so wish that was the case here in Southern California...I bet you do too.

Laurie, I'm a librarian and I have obnoxiously large fines racked up at my public library. You'd think I know better! I don't have to pay fines at the university where I work, but who wants a bunch of academic-y books on accounting fundamentals? I'm cut off from the good stuff (DVDs and audiobooks, and knitting pattern books galore) until I find those two kids books I checked out for my daughter and lost! Aughh! Bad librarian!

I love audio books. I used to rent them from RecordedBooks.com because they have unabridged versions, until it got too expensive.

I do download from Audible.com from time-to-time ($), but you have to watch for abridged versions. But they are not *that* inexpensive and my taste runs a bit different from what they stock. The libraries here do not have much in audiobook versions, especially unabridged; plus I have to pay $70/year for a library card since I live in the country. :-(

Try anything narrated by Barbara Rosenblat - she is awesome! She did the Amelia Peabody series (and some others) for Recorded Books, and I still hear her voice in my head when I read one of them.

CAP - it would be SO COOL if you did the audio for your book. I would definitely buy that!

Don't read this if you easily become envious! My local library DOESN'T HAVE LATE FINES. That's right! Apparently the phenomenally outrageous property taxes easily cover the cost of doing library business without the need to charge people for being late! They will make you pay for the book if it's NEVER returned; though you have up to a year to find it. Pretty lenient. I practically live at the library and am working my way through the audio book section (I have a 40-minute commute).

Also, to whoever has the cassette player in their car? You can buy an inexpensive adapter (looks like a cassette tape with a wire coming out) that you plug into your I-Pod and - voila! - you can listen to those lovely audio books in your car. I got mine at Toys R Us, of all places, it came in a package with a charger and a couple other I-Pod accessories for something like 20 bucks. Rock on, dawgs!

P.S. I have Sirius satellite radio now, so I don't miss the books as much, but I do miss them. Even with 100+ stations there are times when nothing good is on!

What do you mean... now that Blake is gone?? Last I saw he was still in the competition! Did I sleep through a week or something?

I found a web site where you can listen to a movie. It isn't quite the same as an audio book but they keep fire walling me in at work and downloading anything at home on dial up is ridiculous.

It has been a while since I visited the library, I used to take the boys when they were younger and had to do nightly reading. I really must pull out my card and go find some audio books.

i just got a new 1 gig ipod shuffle for mother's day & loaded it w/a couple of audio books... wuthering heights & madame bovary... 2 of my faves! hey, monkeygurrl... get one of those tape adapter things they have for cd players. if you plug it into the headphone jack, they work to play the ipod in the car too. & portable dvd players too... surround sound!

btw, thanks for the gas price pic. i've been thinking about that this weekend, as prices here in the heartland (oklahoma city), where prices are NEVER over $3.00, are now averaging $3.10/gal. *sigh*

How are the pepper plants coming along?

I also have the library fines that I need to take care of... problem is I've since moved to the next suburb over and need to get their local card to have check-out privileges at the big fancy liberry with all the good books. So even if I pay them off, I can't have any more books. Must get better with the remembery thing as well.

Also, check with your library to see if they belong to NetLibrary and offer downloadable audios. Theoretically they don't work real well with iPod (thank you Mr. Gates), but I've heard rumors that techie people can get it to work. We librarians love our patrons who check out and use the materials we purchase - and most of us have fines too :)

Late fees are my standard for civic duty. How else are they gonna buy ME more books and tapes, if I don't occasionally throw em' a late-return bone?

I chose to see it as a duty to return a few books too late, and another few books far too late just once in a while or maybe even once every month.
Even if I meant to not do so ever again when it was still just January 1, I am sure they do appreciate, and need, the extra funding.

Grrrr....my library stopped carrying audiobook CD's and only has the Windows-only software versions that you can check out online. Since I and everyone I know at home or at work uses a mac, we're totally out of luck.

Librivox is an online service that distributes audiobooks read by normal people. They use books that are past their copyright date, so everything is free. They have a steadily growing selection, lots of the classics. You can even sign up to read a book yourself!

Laurie -

Seinfeld fans? Bookman, right? They are going to send Bookman, Library Cop out to get Laurie!!

:)

My mother called her fines 'involuntary charity'. I've also known libraries to have a 'guilty conscious' donation box. I too will heartliy recommend Librivox- free, interesting reads- all sorts!
http://librivox.org/

I used to have an 85-mile commute (each way) up I-95, five days a week. (Apparently, God was punishing me somethin' fierce for sins of my teens and twenties). Anyway, audiobooks saved my sanity. There's a store here in town that rents them, and they have way more titles than the library. They had a huge banner on their store one day as I was driving by, and it said, "BORING DRIVE?", and I said, "Hell, yeah!", and turned in, and my life was never the same. I did the entire Left Behind series on audiobook, as well as many other gems like "Where The Heart Is" (love that book AND movie) and the Ya-Ya Sisterhood books. Sometimes I'd arrive at work right in the middle of a really exciting chapter and would have to go out for lunch and sit in my car and eat so I could hear the rest of the chapter!

I never listened to non-fiction, though -- I needed to stay awake, after all!

OH. MY. GOD. I'm hanging out here with a bunch of LIBRARY CRIMINALS!

I'm too OCD to rack up library fines, but my SO racks up fines at the library and all the video joints in town.

Also, I got called last night by a place doing a survey on 'gasoline' although I suspect it was to find out [ultimately] why I buy the gasoline I buy.

I finally told the guy, "I don't care WHAT their commercials say, gas is gas and I BUY THE CHEAPEST I CAN FIND, and that's usually NOT Shell or Amoco!"

People with vision problems can have audiobooks sent to them FREE from Books for the Blind, by the way.

I too have a problem with the lateness. However, once I got into university and I amassed a $35.00 fine within a week ($0.50 a DAY) I decided that it was time to get my butt in gear.

I totally agree about public transportation. People have the weirdest, loudest, and most annoying conversations on the bus or train. But instead of yelling at them all, I just put on my headphones and it's off to la la land.

Someone probably already mentioned this but I'll say it anyway since you belong to LA County Public and they are massive and thus should have all these things:
-Sign up for email notification and you'll get an email two days before your stuff is due.
-Check to see if you can access the downloadable audiobooks from NetLibrary. I know someone mentioned that they don't work with ipod, but if you have knock-off they do! and they just disappear after the check out period...no late fines at all!

In my case I always seem to bring the audio books back ONE DAY after they are due which causes me great destress to have to pay them 25c PER DAY per audio book for 24 hours. Whateva DAWG! ugh.

I solved this problem tho. I learned that the New York Public Library has e or audiobooks that you can CHECKOUT and DOWNLOAD right to your mp3 for FREE!!! F.R.E.E.! Not your kind of free either. No asterisk here no siree Bobbette!! You see, there are no late fees. They lend you the ebooks or audio books for a certain amount of time and then, when that time is up, they just yank them right back!! LOL

Our library doesn't charge fines. When your stuff is about 2 weeks late, you just can't check out anything else...hence, my Amazon and Barnes and Noble bill...

Looks just like the gas prices here in Olympia...

It's official. You are my twin sister who was separated from me at birth.

Audio books are THE BEST!!!! And libraries are even THE BESTER!!!!!! Free books! Free audio books! Free magazines! Woo hoo!!

When I pay library fines, I also say to myself, "This will help the library buy more books." It makes things a little less painful.

Plus, when you get books at the library, you are helping your budget AND you are not cluttering your house with more boughten things!

I too love a good audio book! They're especially great when you're stuck in a car, or on public transit, time FLIES by! Also helpful for spending time on the elliptical trainer. Have you tried podcasts? I love This American Life (Ira Glass) and you can download each new show for free for a week after it's released on itunes. There are also podcasts for just about everything else you could dream of.

My library books, movies, cds, etc. are ALWAYS overdue which is pathetic because I'm the librarian so I'm at the library every day. I just hate carrying them in with me in the morning because I have my purse, my laptop, my lunch, my coffee, my sunglasses, my keys.....I don't have any more hands! I always feel like a fraud when I have to tell someone else to bring back their overdue stuff because I know I have more than they do.

Laurie King does a great job with the Stephanie Plum novels by Janet Evanovich. Bill Bryson writes funny travel books, and he's a great reader, too. "A Walk in the Woods" is about his attempt to hike the Appalachian Trail, and "I'm a Stranger Here Myself" is a series of columns he wrote about moving back to the US after living in England. Very, very funny. And Jim Dale is amazing with the Harry Potter books. I believe he holds the world record for most distinct character voices in one audiobook. Wow.

Laurie--
Stepping out of lurkedom for two reasons:
1) Perhaps your library would contemplate forgiving your fines for a signed copy of (two?) of Drunk, Divorced & COvered in Cat Hair? It can't hurt to ask!

2) When you're ready for some funny Southern fiction, check out the "Miss Julia" seires by Ann B. Ross (hysterical!).

In my professional life, I refer people to the public library at least once every day. In my personal life, however, I am the public library's Worst Patron Ever. They probably have my photo on a "wanted" poster in every public library in America.

That library card also will get you into the city's swimming pools for FREE, O Budget-strapped one!

And yes, my pay cycle is divided into the Rent paycheck and the Everything Else check. Sigh. Frank gets paid once a month and somehow makes it work for him....

Reminders? I write lots of little lists, have Post-its everywhere, and when I'm really worried I 'll forget something, I set an "alarm" on my computer.

I love it when you're in a good mood and your prose gets all bouncy! No decaf! Caffeine is your friend!

A gallon of gas is half the price of a packet of Marlboros. Sad.

I support literacy here too. Often and I too must wait until payday to pay the fines. We don't have audio books yet. Someday.

I apologize if someone has already made this suggestion...I want to read all the comments but have you SEEN how many you get?

In the State of Maryland there is a "virtual library" that we have access to with our library cards. They have audiobooks you can download from that site FOR FREE!! Now, if little ole Maryland can do it...you should ask around when you go in and pay your fine.

I also justify my library fines as "donations" to a good cause, however reluctantly. Marking due dates on my calender helps a lot (though it isn't a perfect system) as does assigning a day of the week to be "library day" and using the online catalog to check due dates, renew books, and put more holds on. There are also little software apps that let you set reminders that will pop up and remind you to renew/return (or whatever else you need a reminder for).

Laurie, honey, please try out podiobooks.com. There's lots and lots of audio books there and they are FREE!!!! You can make a donation for each individual book and the author will get about 1/2 of what you donate. If you like a little bit of myth and fairy tale try out Shadowmagic by John Lenahan. I haven't met anyone who doesn't like it.

I love audiobooks, too. So good to knit to! I suggest:

The Crazyladies of Pearl Street by Trevanian
Emma & Me by Elizabeth Flock
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls

If you love audio books, you need to know about Librivox (www.librivox.org), a site full of nothing but free audiobooks for you to download. Yes, that's right, free. Yours forever. No strings.

They have a huge selection of audio recordings of books, short stories and poems that are now in the public domain, and there's tons of great stuff there.

For me it's been a way to plough through some of the classics of English literature that I'd never actually read. Nine hour transatlantic flight? No problem, just grab the knitting, plug in the iPod and go. It's been a lifesaver. And I can finally say that I've read "A Tale of Two Cities."

I am such a library nerd that I have my card number *memorized* so I can log in and put books on hold whenever I am reading about a book that sounds good.

My library has a free audio book download service, but alas, they are not iPod compatable, so I make do with Podcasts from itunes because I am too cheap to pay for audio books. However, I did find "Tale of Two Cities" by Dickens available via free podcast, so there are probably other free books out there.

And that shiite comes on audio, too!

I assume you mean doo-doo and not an actual Shiite. (o:

Ok, Laurie...love you, love everything about you but...not so much for you with the street talk.

I didn't read all of your comments so forgive me if someone has mentioned this already, but there are lots of free audio files at this place.

http://www.archive.org/details/audio

I love me some free stuff.

Audible.com. All I gots to say. It's a cheap subscription, and you can download it to your computer at work....it's a cuneworker's DREAM!!
The Terry Prachett Discworld series kept me sane during my years of data and tax work at UCLA.
AND it was worth the 12 bucks or so per month because I got a few free books each month AND...well, I get forgetty too, and I figured that when it compared to my library fines, it was a wash. ;-)

I LOVE audio books. I also have huge library fines and yeah... they won't let me even be a member of the library anymore because of it. Actually, my mom used to check out books all the time when I was really young and she was the bad one. She checked them out in my name and I have these outstanding fines now that aren't my fault and... I just really need to pay them and get it over with. I just finished "Citizen Girl". I definitely DO NOT recommend it. It sucked big time. So when you are choosing your books probably want to stay away from that one. That's my opinion anyway.

Laurie--
Ok--I'm a librarian. Go with downloadable audio then you don't have to return them. And it appears that your wonderful library has them!!!!
http://audiobooks.lapl.org/F743B352-A46D-4C25-93D2-1557933C2788/10/228/en/BrowseSubject1.htm

Keep on reading! er..listening

Have you thought about who is going to do your audio book? Helen Mirrin? Grrr... I really like those sexy British accents! Does she sound like you?

Audio books are the only books I read, well, listen to. I don't have time with my commute to read a book. I'd fall asleep! I love audible.com. I have a membership and I get a new book every month. It's super duper.

The best audio book I have ever heard is "Cold Sassy Tree". Make sure you have kleenex with you, but mostly you will laugh out loud and get to annoy others on the bus.

I almost never have late fees. Compulsive, I guess.

It's good to know I'm not the only one who audioreads while knitting! I'm hooked on audiobooks.com. I like the convenience and my local branch of the library is sorely lacking. I'm a radio nerd, too. Sometimes I listen to podcasts and shortwave radio while knitting.

I highly recommend H.S. Thompson's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and Terry Pratchett's Color of Magic unabridged audio on audible.com

Oh, I am so familiar w/ the 'things that become invisible' and are then returned late to the library. I think it has something to do with that BAR CODE that is on the packages that causes it?? Maybe the library 'materials' are just trying to be FREE and live in a home like other materials w/out the telltale barcodes???? AND it's not really 'us' forgetting.. more like.. the library materials.. 'trying to blend in?'.. yeah, that's it!

I do have a small system that has helped me- I put the LIBRARY items at one place in my apartment- (I use a neat decorative ceramic thing right by the TV) so, at least they are all together in their lateness but, I can find them easily too. I don't dare let them 'visit' amongst my own personal copies of books, DVD's and the such.. So, it is progress, right?

My library compounds the fact that- all the DVD's (free movies people!) and books on tape/etc.. must be RETURNED INSIDE so they don't get damaged in those drop boxes.. w/ hundreds of pounds of books falling on them or something like that.

I also make up for my 'sometimes' tardiness of returning 'to be enjoyed in an electronic type of manner' library materials.. by donating books, videos/etc. to the library when I move and I do move often-- so, it does balance out. Keeps the good karma flowing.

Audio books sound good, too bad I am too chicken to step foot in my library. I don't even want to know how high I racked up those fines. I hate it when I do that.

Also, thought you should check out the new Land's End line. There are some nice summery clothes out there for the slightly (you) and mostly (me) chubby girls. Even the "regular" sizes are ample enough for those of us on the cusp of plus size. And no sequins!

You can get audiobooks and podcasts on itunes. If you're into literature you will probably have to pay but if it's self help you're looing for I'm pretty sure they have those on podcasts and almost all podcasts are free.

I am completely adicted to Audio books! I love the Harry Potter books (Jim Dale could read the phone book and I would listen!) I also like biographies and self help. All of the All Creatures Great and Small books, Anne of Green Gables, I have listened to hundreds of books since I first got addicted!

I am waiting for the library's dowloadable section to get up to speed because I live an hour from a good library. As of right now, you can download books onto ANY other mp3 player EXCEPT and ipod. What the???

Good luck with your fine!

So when is your book going to be available?? I certainly hope the author will record it in her own voice like Jill Connor Brown of Sweet Potato Queen fame has. Her books are a hoot and a half on tape and I bet your's will be too. BTW I joined Audible.com and get 2 books on tape for $20 per month that take care of my commuting reading needs and no library fines ever. Since I have the same problem as you do with returning thins on time and also lost a couple of books on tape this is working out the be cheaper than the "free" public library.

That's my dream, but living in France means I don't get the opportunity to accidentally return audio books late (heck, I'd settle for paper books if they were free and in English).

Uh Oh. Gas prices again! The post a while back where you mentioned the high gas prices created quite a stir in the comments. I made a little crack about the prices here in France and noticed other people in Europe mentioned their country.

Someone left a really long comment about how much more you can walk here in Europe, and commutes are so much shorter here. I think that commenter would be surprised to find out how much the French actually drive (I can't speak for other countries). Unemployment being the problem it is here, people will take a job very far from their homes and families. I've met many people who live half the week in one city alone and the other half with their family in another. Granted, they're often lucky enough to make a train ride be at least part of their commute, but they still have to get to the train station. And, since most businesses like to be located inside the largest city in the area, many people live in the outskirt-towns. Only the biggest cities like Paris would have reliable public transportation that goes out that far.

I guess my point is that high gas prices are mean and evil and a part of everyone's life these days, which is why the next step in the evolution of man really needs to be for us to grow some wings. That, or we need to get to work on that Star Trek beam-me-up-Scottie machine.

My son greatest accomplishment is he graduated from high school. His second greatest accomplishment is that he had no book fines!!!!

I'm glad to see that I'm not the only librarian to rack up immense overdue fines! Hey, it's a great way to support your local library! I used to drive my family nuts when I listened to audiobooks. I love mysteries, so if I was close to the end of the book and almost home, I would drive around the block until it was over. Dork.

You should try Librivox http://librivox.org/ It's a free audio book website. The only disadvantage is that people volunteer to read the books, so you might get a few readers who really annoy you.

My husband grouses if he borrows books, because he never remembers to return them on time, & since I'm a librarian, I'm supposed to remember for him (which I usually don't). I had a sweet library job up north where staff fines were forgiven, unless you took more than 6 weeks to return the books. Then they sent you to collection like everyone else. Now, I just suck it up & pay the fines. I try to remember to renew them online. (I usually remember that they're due around 10 p.m.)

I'm sure someone already mentioned going online to renew your stuff. I used to work for the library & if you have a "friend" there, they can "forgive" the fines. Worth a try.

I LOVE audio books. They make a long boring trip, not so boring.
I actually cut up my library card because I don't know how to return books on time. Seriously. My last late charge was more than my monthly MasterCard bill

Well, I'm the kind of person who never had fines because even before the reminder I set in my computer popped up, I remembered when they were due. Now I live 4 blocks from the main downtown library in Seattle, land of the technoliterati, get the e-mail reminders and can renew on-line, but still keep my little dated receipts where I can find them. I guess I don't have the kind of personality to be a knitting humor writer but I expect one day to be an ace at writting patterns you can actually follow.

I've looked at the on-line audio book check-out, too, but haven't tried them out yet. The Seattle library uses two companies, so lots of choices but not the most recent fiction, usually.

Blame the not-Ipod problem on the Ipod people. They're the ones who designed their system to be incompatible with all others and don't license others to produce things for their system.

Bossy would be able to hire Paris Hilton to cut her grass
if only she'd remember to return her books before the fines amass.

Best Audio Book EVER: Cold Mountain--unabridged and read by the author. It is breathtaking!!!

Oh my gosh my head is going to explode because my heart is welling up with emotion...*sniff* I LOVE YOU! I was totally afraid of audiobooks because I just did not want it to be lame, but hello, BEST THING EVAR! And then I brought The Time-Traveller's Wife to L.A. when I was visiting my sis, and my nephew, who is 2 - yeah, he's 2...he, uh, got a hold of it. And lost it. I still haven't told the library. That was around Easter. Yup.

Can you renew the audiobooks online? For me, that's the best of the internet!

And I'm with you. See, libraries...they are underfunded. People like us keep smart, underprivileged people in books and music. THEY NEED US. Although that comment by Pirata is scaring the crap out of me. I don't mean to be irresponsible with the benevolence so greatly bestowed on me by Ben Franklin, Andrew Carnegie, and my taxes. I'm working on it. Honest.

I used to tell everyone that my overdue fines were my modest (well, sometimes not so modest . . . ) but regular contribution to the public library system. It didn't help that I worked six blocks from the library and checked out *something* nearly every other day at lunch . . . it's a wonder anything got back on time!

OK, now - gonna go back and read the comments, but first I just gotta say: you photoshopped that gasoline sign, yes? That's fake, right? That's a practical joke, and there is NOWHERE from sea to shining sea where someone is highway-robbing....uh...charging $3.49 a gallon for REG'LAR? And (ok, so I'm admitting my Secret Vice and Sin) please please please tell me they are NOT charging $7.99 for one pack o' smokes. I remember happily paying 24.9 cents a gallon for gas and 35 cents for a pack of cigarettes. On what planet is this acceptable? (and I think Dubyah is behind it but whaddo I know?). Oy.

oh laurie, some days i just need to comment you - today for example - i completely understand your payday dilemma - i am with you. tomorrow is my favorite day of the month. i'm holding out on less than 1/4 tank of gas until tomorrow, but guess what - its the great gas out of 2007 - i am going to end up pulling into the pump only to get dirty stares from everyone else putt-putting a long not purchasing (of course this leads to my own theory that the gas out only works if we dont CONSUME gas tomorrow, not neccessarily BUY gas - so everything is basically defeated) but yes, i have no money until tomorrow and i pray that my 1/8th tank that remains will hold until Wednesday.

i like you have amassed library fines and just have left them. my hometown library and my college library. one day they will hunt me down and find me. :)

Paying the odd (or not so odd) library fine is still cheaper than buying all the books you want which means it is GREAT for your budget. I recently rediscovered the library after a nearly 10 year absence and have discovered it is a great way to indulge my book materialism without going broke.

I am so hanging out for the day I go into my library and find 'Drunk, Divorced and Covered in Cat Hair' there. Hey, if they can stock 'Celebrity Scarves' (30 has-been and never-were so-called celebrities devulging their secret scraf partern is knit 6 feet of garter stitch), I will demand they bring in CAP.

Yep.I just factor overdue fines into my budget. Every time any library in a 50 mile radius redecorates or adds a wing i keep expecting an invite to the opening, or my name on a plaque or something. :)

I'm also a Librarian and I'll second the advice to check out downloadable books, there are some you can burn to cd. Never late!

Also you might check out Library Elf, it lets you know if something's due!

I also think of our patrons who have lots of late fine LOYAL LIBRARY SUPPORTERS!! In my library system all late fines are dedicated to new materials! ( books and audiobooks!) So you're helping the library buy books~good for you:-)

Okay then - You had me at the audiobooks - Love them!! But then I got to the pic at the end of the gas sign - Y'all are paying as much as we pay here in Australia (we just paid about $1.30AU per liter or $5AU/$4US per gallon). Holy shite, batman! And the $7.99 Malboroughs? Let me just say how glad I am that I quit smoking (allegedly!) 5 years ago. Wow. When I lived in LA, we were freaking out that they were a whole $4 per pack. Sigh. Good times....

Sorry about saying Blake was gone. My only excuse is that my brain still hasn't recovered from the disappointment of the Survivor finale. (I really wanted Yau Man to win.) But I still love Jordan. She's just so adorable.

Yes, I watch too much reality tv. ;-)

Laughed myself sick at the blog entry ... love you, Laurie, on caffeine! You get down wid your bad hyper self :)

Having ploughed my way through ALL the comments:

I OWN all the Harry Potter books on Audio CD... but they are read by Stephen Fry. I can't imagine HP books done in anything other than an English accent. Fry is awesome - he does all the voices too. I could start back at book 1 right after the last book, so I could.

I second CAP reading DD&CISH! (ROFLed at that when I first saw it above - it sounds like DeeDee and Sitch in my head). I would SO buy both the book and the audio book!

I adore audio books too, and have written down ALLLLLLL the links and book recommendations, and I'm going trawling online tonight, oh yes I am! Thanks to everyone. I know all ya'll were just telling Purly, but I listened too :)

Someone just lent me the hard-copy version of The Time Traveller's Wife, so thanks to the recommendation above, that will be the next book I open after I finish my current one.

I love this blog, I love how it ends up being like a forum version of a SnB.

The next paycheck is the "extra" paycheck in this househould too (after bills but no house payment)yippee, splurge on the good coffee.

I can't believe the commenter who said she drives around the block to finish her audio book - sounds like something I would do.

I am SO very happy that my library doesn't charge fines (just returned books that were a month overdue!)
Its funny how I am so obsessive about being on time myself, but I am so terrible about returning things on time...hmm

I see that someone else mentioned http://www.librivox.org. I love that site and have listened to several books, they are free. The books are read by vlounteers, most do a good job, but there are a few voices that are hard to listen to...

If you haven't listened to them yet, I've got an awesome audiobook suggestion! Many libraries have the BBC radio edition of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which is the original and funniest version. Even if you don't usually like sci-fi, this is really more comedy than anything.

As a side bonus, you'll suddenly understand a whole lot of in-jokes :-)

WHO MOVED MY CHEESE?!?!?!

Yup, I think I knew I found a good job when they showed us the cartoon version at the new employee orientation.

heheheh

Yeah I just don't let myself go down the self section of the local B&N. :) My checkbook can't handle it.

Check out Craftlit (though it's pretty serious)--they use Librivox books. Also, my library has a downloadable audiobook program (though, grr, not iPod compatible).

US$7.99 is about AU$9.45... and I pay up to AU$13.70 for a pack of smokes! (erm, they're for a friend!! really, mum!!).

Cheap cigarettes and knitpicks yarn: I think I have to move to America!

gas hasn't quite hit $3 per gallon here in the Boston outskirts; my mom commented once gas was cheaper here in Taxachusetts than in NYS. But as California goes, so does the nation, eh?

I have some books that are about 3 years overdue. Thank God the library here caps the fines at $5 per book. And a lot of the libraries are regionally-linked so I can't weasel another card from my new town. But for people who want stuff their library doesn't stock what about an inter-library loan?

How's the pile of poop doing?

I held the same rationale for years about how my late fines were ok because they helped the Austin Public Library system directly.

A few months ago, I was paying off a particularly large fine (my son had misplaced a library DVD under his bed for awhile. Oops!)and mentioned my rationale to the librarian. She just looked at me and said, "Unfortuantely, that's not true. Your late fee goes into the city's general fund. The library doesn't get any of it directly and the cost of processing your late fee comes out of our new material acquisition fund."

Oddly enough, I've still had a few late fees since I learned that. Old ways die hard. Still, good to know. And anyway, that's just Austin. Maybe LA libraries get to keep their late fees. Yeah, that's our story and we're sticking to it!

You get a bazillion comments so if someone else already suggested this - feel free to move on. Try podiobooks. They are audiobooks you can download for free. Nothing to return.

I haven't tried an audiobook yet...I'm a die hard reader and the thought of going audio just freaked me out. Now I may rent one just so that I can be just like you.
As a fellow late-fee-racker-upper, I hope they have a Netflix for audiobooks. I would go broke otherwise.
And you were seriously cracking me up today, street talk & all!

I have Potty-Oh books. That's sort of the same thing, right?

;)

Because I am a complete NERD I wrote down ALL of your audiobook suggestions!!!!

Thank You!!

signed,
still needs self help

My boyfriend has the same rememory problems! Anything that he puts down next to his computer, anything at all, be it CD or book or bill or dirty plate, he instantly forgets about. I don't understand how he could not see the moldy bread and cheese sitting next to his hand, but whatever.
Good audiobook - Sex Lives of Cannibals. It's hysterical!

Yeay to Librivox (which keeps me sane everytime i have to wait at the airport)... and i would like also to point out the Gutenberg project, which too has readings (most linked to librivox) but ALSO offers text version of public domain books. Even has a couple of craft books!

Laurie, I totally think you should volunteer to record a librivox... You rock girl!!

Thank you for putting a smile on my face at the start of the day!!!

Someone of the 7billion posters may have already suggested this, BUT. Can you put a reminder on the calendar function of your cell phone? Does your cell phone have a calendar? You can make it beep and everything at EXACTLY the time you need to scrat round the house and find the missing library books to take back.

Or is that too organised? ;-)

thank goodness my library sends out a reminder e-mail for my due dates. That way I'm only a few days late.

What could be so bad about supporting your library??? Your lateness....er GENEROSITY will enable them to purchase this fabulous new book I heard about: Drunk, Divorced, & Covered in Cat Hair!

Way back in my former life (you know - in my 20s) I was elected to the local public library board. We didn't really mind people bringing books back late. In fact, there was a line inthe budget where we COUNTED on fines! It really does help the library to bring them back late (even if does cramp your budget...) Don't get them too used to it, though, or they'll start to expect it!

And last I checked(but I could be very, very wrong), it was OK to rip to your iPod to listen to them, but you have to delete the files when you're done listening - kind of like using the iPod as your CD player. It was NOT OK when a guy started working his way through the library DVD collection alphabetically, ripping them for his collection at home...

Laurie, this is why I love you and have to read your blog everyday: you got so excited about audiobooks that you broke into ghetto-speak. That's awesome!

You know what else audiobooks are good for? Knitting!! It's like knitting while watching TV, except you don't have to keep looking at the screen to check in!

On my library's web site you can download books. That has eliminated my late fees totally. You get a license that is good for 3 weeks and can renew for another 3 weeks if needed. And my city is pretty small, so the LA library mught have something like that.

Well you must have guessed you will get a lot of recommendations for audio books now :) My favorite is the Nanny Diaries read by Julia Roberts. I have listened to it a million times! Enjoy it!

You do know that an audiobook (any book) CAN be returned BEFORE the due date, right? That way you don't have to worry about when its due.

Someone may have mentioned this already, but.....

Podcast.

Serves the same purpose, but doesn't need to get back to the library. You can find plenty for free. There are even knitting podcasts!

Check out your library for e-books. Overdrive is the biggest vendor. You can download the audio, transfer it and play it. But.... Ipod doesn't support the technology (WMA files) I use a Creative Zen. After 2 weeks on my hard drive the book evaporates or something.

I drive 2 hours a day and even though I'm a Librarian, I now listen to many more books than I read.

I joined the library last year and discovered audiobooks. Love them! Also, check out the Young Adult books--some are so hysterical. Try "Bras and Broomsticks" by Sarah Mlynowski.

Confessions of a library criminal....

My husband actually had to go to COURT because we'd forgot to return "A visit to the yogurt factory" He could have gone to JAIL, ya'll!

Instead just got a fine and his record was expunged ater keeping his "nose clean". Ridiculous. But. True.

How cute are people squawking that ciggies are $8 (hello we're in CA tax land here) and no mention of gas being $3.49 for the cheap gas...Love that.

Anywho, I too have a library problem and have found www.booksfree.com. It's Netflix for books and audiobooks. You may wanna check that out since there's no fines.

When I was just out of university and looking for a job in the Arts, I wrote on my resume: "Contributing patron to the Greater Victoria Public Library". Luckily nobody ever asked me in what way I contributed.

Here's a second vote for audible, altho I feel it is a bit pricey for something that I can't even hold in my hands.

All of the Douglas Adams books, both Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy series and the Dirk Gently series, are wonderful on audiobook. You may also snag a copy of the original BBC radio series (HHGG), which will have lovely music and sound effects. I dunno if it's available electronically.

Jim Dale has an amazing voice. I saw him in the original run of Barnum on Broadway in... 1980-something. Anyway...

Also enjoyable on auidobook: Lisey's Story by Stephen King (an awesome love story, not what you would expect from Mr. King); America the Audio book by Jon Stewart and the Daily Show (laugh out loud funny); Marie-Antoinette: The Last Queen of France by Evelyne Lever (14 hours of more than you wanted to know about MA).

I used to have a 2 1/2 hour (each way) daily commute on NYC public transportation. Without audio books, knitting, podcasts (woot! i'M learning French and Spanish), and Starbucks - well, there would be a lot more crime here.

Enjoy!

Okay, I had to comment again on this post, a day later, because I had to share that they're filming "Nights in Rodanthe" (a James Patterson novel) down in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, where my sister lives. Richard Gere and Diane Lane are the leads, and my sister went to the casting call for extras, and just found out yesterday she's going to be an extra in a scene with both Richard and Diane in it. She is completely beside herself about this, and I'm a bit psyched, as well! Had a huge crush on Dick when I was in high school, back in his "Officer and a Gentleman" period.

My sister says there have been Richard Gere sightings all over the Outer Banks, and that everyone says he's really nice. This means nothing to you folks who live in and around Hollywood, but to us east coasters, it's big news!

I just listened to _Step on a Crack_ by James Patterson (from my library) because some guy I had talked to at a bar once sat down next to me again and was telling me how this character from the book reminded him of me. Hello?? I barely know you why are you thinking of me when reading books months later -- she turned out to be a fairly minor character -- probably a fitting association for someone he had only met once.

I am a librarian and still manage to amass fines that pretty much amount to a percentage of my income (which says a lot about either the amount of the fines or the paltriness of my income - you guess which it is). I used to be VERY embarassed about this, but now consider it a donation to my favorite institution. :)

Just how big is the fine, anyway?

Several years ago I bought a house, and was mortified when I went to WaMu for the results of my home loan application, and they told me they wouldn't release the loan to me until I paid the $150 library fine on my credit report!

Oh also, I currently have in my car, an audiobook of Our Man in Havana by Graham Greene that is 3 months overdue. Yes, I believe in generously supporting our local library as well. :)

OK, you have GOT to tell me that sign was wrong. Not the gas, the cigarettes. Is that $7.99 for a pack of Marlboros? One pack? Holy cow, am I glad I quit years ago.

Here's a funny thought for you: in Canada, where gas is sold by the litre (and it's litre, because they're not just sticklers about the metric system, they like to spell things differently, too) instead of the gallon, I'm finding that most gas stations are advertising gas for 4.9 cents per litre because their signs weren't even made to accommodate gas prices over $1.00.

Find those audiobook files you've downloaded in the hard drive, and change their format to .m4b (if you've on a Mac, those bad boys will be under the Audiobooks folder in iTunes like they should be.)

Hi, Laurie! I found your blog when doing a search on audiobooks. You wrote:

[...Because some Loud Talker can be sitting on the bus in the seat right behind me yammering away on their cellphone about what does little Becky or Sally want for dinner (I always want to turn and say something like, "Pardon me, I heard little Becky or Sally really HATES your cooking!" but I never do) ]

I thought those people were only sitting next to ME! Since you have loaded up on positive thinking material (does that mean that positive thinking makes you high?), you might try changing your thoughts to one that I have used when confronted by such rude people:

I am a magnet for peace and quiet, with courteous and respectful people all around.

If that doesn't work for you, you can try my other tactic of turning and telling the person "I don't think you know how LOUD you are, and we don't want to hear your conversation!"

Seriously, I'm so glad that you have discovered audiobooks, especially since I'm an audiobook narrator! Your book sounds like the sort of project I would love to perform! I even promise that I would add sound effects. Tell me, are there any cats hurling hair balls in this book, or would the clicking of knitting needles do?

Congratulations on the publication of your book! Perhaps I will see you at BookExpo.

Karen Commins
www.AVOICEAboveTheCrowd.com
www.KarenBlogs.com

podiobooks.com
free books by up and coming authors. I'm totally addicted

I like Dana Stabenow's Alaskan mysteries on tape. Also my library has a lot of great knitting books - shelves and shelves. I could never afford to buy them - also great knitting books that are now out of print. I love my library.

I too don't mind the fines and think of them as enforced charity.

This has been a problem for me, too. Video rentals, too. Here's how I fixed it.

(I have a Mac, so I use iCal, but you could do this on Yahoo Calendars and let it send you an email if you want.)

I add an event to the day before the book/video is due, having it remind me with a noisy popup or an email so I can't forget. (Just don't hit snooze and then forget it again!)

I have been known to avoid my local library and get a card at a new one when I have too many fines. At the moment I owe them $35 because my water bottle leaked all over a BRAND NEW knitting book :(. I felt really bad, but I haven't gotten around to paying them off yet becuase there are so many other pretty things (like yarn) that I want to buy.

In audio book-nes, I LOVE the Harry Potter books on audio cd. I forget the narators name, but he is truly fantastic!!

Here in Upstate NY, you can just download audio books from the library site and they return automatically on time. You can then donwload to your ipod or to CDs. With up to 10 books per month, I can almost make it with out supplementing from the CD collection at the library.
I love the small town library I volunteer for, please remember that library funding is really limited in most areas of the US, and you donations of good quality books, DVD and funds are usually always welcome.

Hi Laurie

From one former southern (Alabama) girl to another....two top picks that you must, must listen to are:

Because of Winn Dixie -

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane -

They are children books.... (8 and up)yet it doesn't matter. I was hanging on every word along with my children and weeping with joy and sadness. Beautifully, heartbreakingly read.

Just started listening to To Kill a Mockingbird read by Sissy Spacek - wonderful........

Laurie - I always look forward to your erudite, amusing and just plain real blog. Thanks, from another cat mother, wine loving, semi-gardener who loves people every chance she gets, except when they make it so difficult. Thank you, thank you. Please keep on doing what you do so well.

Laurie - I always look forward to your erudite, amusing and just plain real blog. Thanks, from another cat mother, wine loving, semi-gardener who loves people every chance she gets, except when they make it so difficult. Thank you, thank you. Please keep on doing what you do so well.

I love you!

Congrats on the book!

*must* have more pictures of ROY!

I LOVE ROY!!!

on topic:
the LA library lets you download their audiobooks and then you don't have to return them. The file somehow "expires".

I'm sure if you google though you can find some kinda of transfer this to that to stop the expiration.

http://audiobooks.lapl.org/F743B352-A46D-4C25-93D2-1557933C2788/10/228/en/BrowseSubject1.htm

Love and Laughter,
Amy

librivox.org

public domain audio books. I listen while I knit. Currently on Oliver Twist, Charles Dickens

I was always forgetful about returning library books, too -- and used the same reasoning you did, that my fines helped my library buy more things. Well, in fact -- in my area (central western ma) all the fines from all the libraries go to POLITICAL campaigns -- I am dead serious, unfortunately. The money doesn't go to the library at all. After that, I've gotten much better at remembering (though I currently owe about $7, but that was due to my husband forgetting to drop them off, when he swore he did).

I too listen to books on tape (in fact, I haven't "read" many books in the past 2 years, because I can knit and listen). I became disenchanted with the audio books in my local libraries, not in good condition, they skip, cannot get really new books, etc. Have you tried RecordedBooks.com? It works like Netflix except it is books on CD (of course, you do have to pay a monthly fee). Love it, love it, love it.

Hey Laurie,

There's actually this site that's like Netflix but for audio books. You pay a monthly fee but then you can keep the CD for how ever long you want with no additional fees. You might want to check it out:

http://www.simplyaudiobooks.com/Learn-More-Rent/dp/45/

PS--I owe you a pattern, I know! Tonight's the night, promise! Hope you didn't need it by like, um, yesterday--so sorry! Finals swirled through my life like "tempestuous seas" this past week and sank everything else on my agenda.