I could not possibly afford all the books I want to read

My closest branch was (I moved from San Diego a year ago but may move back in a few more years) the Pacific Beach branch, but I would regularly visit the Central Library for events and browsing.

I'm a very frugal person. After joining my first book club 10 years ago, I realized quickly that I didn't want to spend $15–25 every month on a new book that I may or may not like enough to keep. I was a recent graduate, without access to an enormous university library anymore. That's when I first turned to the public library. I read over 100 books a year, mostly for pleasure but a lot for the work I do as an editor, writer, and tour guide. Books are the first place I turn to when I need to learn anything. So being able to access the books I need, for free, from the library is incredible. And accessing many of them digitally is huge.

I appreciate how easy the library makes things, transferring books from far away branches to my local one.

I also use the community spaces, requesting rooms when I need a quite place to work or to host my own book club. Most places want to charge you to host a group or everyone feels obligated to order something if we meet at a cafe or restaurant, so the library's pressure-free meeting spaces are terrific.

Thank you, San Diego library and librarians, for all you do to support readers and the community!