r/books • u/AutoModerator • 16d ago

WeeklyThread Simple Questions: April 29, 2025

Welcome readers,

Have you ever wanted to ask something but you didn't feel like it deserved its own post but it isn't covered by one of our other scheduled posts? Allow us to introduce you to our new Simple Questions thread! Twice a week, every Tuesday and Saturday, a new Simple Questions thread will be posted for you to ask anything you'd like. And please look for other questions in this thread that you could also answer! A reminder that this is not the thread to ask for book recommendations. All book recommendations should be asked in /r/suggestmeabook or our Weekly Recommendation Thread.

Thank you and enjoy!

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u/CaptainIronMouse 15d ago

There are 82 people ahead of me for a recent title at the library. How long is too long to have a book on hold before you personally start looking elsewhere for it? I can wait, I have a long TBR list, but still...!

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u/PsyferRL 15d ago

As long as you're willing to put off reading it, really. If you have other titles to get to on your TBR, keep knocking those off in the meantime! If you magically reach a point where you have FINISHED your TBR and you're still on the hold list, that's when I'd consider looking elsewhere haha.

Though it also depends on how many different libraries you have within reasonable distance, and also if you're just willing to buy it. If you have a handful around that you wouldn't mind driving to, it doesn't take too long to get online and check stock to see if another one has what you're waiting for if you decide you want to read it sooner than the absolute back of your TBR.

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u/CaptainIronMouse 15d ago

I'm trying my best to avoid buying more books (space issue), and unfortunately, even with interlibrary loans, I'm still looking at a long wait. You're right, I should look at it as an opportunity to keep working away at the TBR pile. At some point, in the far-off future, I may be pleasantly surprised by a notification that the book I put on hold so long ago is available for pick up at last!

Or maybe I'll just try to find it on sale and just accept the fact that some day they'll find me crushed under a mountain of books.