That Just Happened!

Now I know I have complained about this before (though not to you), but I really miss the Toronto Public Library.  I miss having access to the books in 99 libraries across the city.  Since moving into the suburbs (boooo!) I now belong to a library system with access to four libraries. As an avid reader and desperate Margaret Atwood fan, that puts me at quite the disadvantage.

I remember when I first moved to Toronto and realized how awesome the system was.  I had requested a book online and they asked me what library I wanted to pick it up at.  Bonus!  I can choose?  How cool is that?  Unfortunately having access to 99 libraries meant having to share them with the entire population on Toronto.  I was number 214 on the holds list.  I don’t think that there are 214 users of the library I was at before, let alone a wait list that long.  I was prepared to wait, but much to my suprise I got a call in 3 weeks to come and pick up the book.  Three weeks!  I was amazed. I was astounded.  I was in love with the TPL.  Apparently with 50+ copies circulating, 214 people were no problem to get through in a short period of time.

I was pleasantly suprised when I found out that I now had access to 4 libraries. I thought to myself, “Oh this won’t be too much of a change.  There are fewer libraries, but fewer people to share amongst the spoils.”  How wrong I was.  Apparently 4 libraries with one copy in each means only 4 circulating copies.  If one goes missing, we are down to 3.  I placed a hold on an item on September 1, 2009.  I was number 14 on the list.  It is now Oct 20. 2009 (one month later) and I am number 6.  By the time I read it Chapters will have pulled it off their New and Hot Fiction Shelf.  I miss the TPL.

Yeah, That Just Happened!