library. I'm not terribly interested in giving a private company access to that information, either.

They have one piece of carpet per floor in their new mothership- I know someone involved in that - no seams. I'd think they can do this.

Every individual library would have to agree to itand have tech on their side to support it.

I dig this idea, though.

maybe you ought to go on your local library's website and search their catalog.

I have thumbs and I use them.

You can search by zip code for any book. I think they are tied to most library's databases. Also many public libraries do interlibrary loans.

DU never fails.

most libraries do not sell books, except perhaps when they get over-stocked.

I guess I didn’t make my point in the OP. I’m simply concerned with directing traffic TOWARDS libraries.

I just searched for THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNET'S NEST in our local area library system just for kicks and found a bunch.

I just learned something, thanks...

Very cool!

Just load your public library's website on you device, log in and never log out. If you are lucky you will belong to a cooperative of many cities, counties or even statewide. A lot of small cities, even within our county, that are GOP run have opted out of library sharing. OF COURSE THEY HAVE.

Or it could.

That's my point. Traffic.

I like to use my laptop and just put in the website.

Someone above raises the point that library catalogs are intranets and not available for item searching like a store. They aren't meant to be like a store.

but google could provide a link to get people started in That direction.

That would seem very odd. A lot of libraries have QR codes now too.

or anyone is a link to their local library could be an “Oh yeah! The library!” moment

I always use my library FIRST for book title searching. I only buy books if I must have them. I read 60 books last year so buying them seems silly.

You might also want to sign up for or even just get book reviews from Goodreads.com. It's a great place to list your books you want to read, you are reading or have read by your own categories.

For a lot of people libraries simply don’t cross their mind.

Google is just another website.... And they collect that data too. I will never understand why people are so hellbent on giving google more of what it wants. If you can go to google you can just go to your library website. Hell you only have to go there once and then you can favorite it. I presume you don't somehow use google to read this site right?

My point was really about directing people towards libraries. A “Hey! Don’t forget about your local library” type thing.

I really need toatart using mine more often.

The number certainly shows up on the Web. Google and other search engines can't solve problems that we can easily solve ourselves.

I have 20 library cards ...most are on line only. I am reading three books right now. Janet Evanovich's Stephanie PLum ...25th in the series-mystery, A non-fiction about the flu epidemic of 1918 and the new Preston Child book... all from a library. You can also get free books on kindle and sign up for kindle unlimited. Also, open library.

I didn't know you could get a library card without some proof you live in the same town or county.

Many libraries here and elsewhere offer on line only cards. For a relatively small fee, you can access other states as well.

Free for anyone who lives, works, or pays taxes in NYS. I'm in Western NY, but I'll have access to all their ebooks and online databases. Woot!

Hoopla also has video (I need to get this set up because my library offers it)

RBdigital where I get my magazine fix for free.

Directly exposed to the Internet. Google can't see them. Library card holders have accounts the can use to log into library websites and use search tools there, but the database isn't open. That's because many libraries databases also include patron information. A lot of public libraries are still using 80s data technology, or 90s tech.

I'm not snarking at you but for everyone that wants all databases available for any type of searches - be prepared for the consequences.

The other option is to put all this public (library) information behind some login firewall. That treads on my/your privacy concerns.

Jeez!

In practical terms, this means that I can search for a book in the local system and find several copies usually, maybe one at my local library and seven more at other area libraries. If my local libe doesn't have it on the shelf, I can put a hold on that book and have it delivered to my local library, where it will be held for a week until I can pick it up. The system also has other invaluable features: on-line renewal (or notification the book can't be renewed), and automatic renewal, of which I will be notified by email. This makes it astonishingly easy to get hold of a book, read it, and be reminded when it's due.

After all, you have to physically go to a library to pick your book up, because libraries don't have home delivery yet. ** But since the loan of the book will cost you zip, zilch, and nada, the cost of getting to the library is your only expense.

**I just remembered that our local library does deliver some books to a local senior citizens' apartment complex. The deliverypeople are volunteers, but the program, I think, demonstrates just how much can be accomplished by cooperation, rather than competition.

And so, underpants, to use your local library system, you will have to hit a different button than the Google button, and get to the library building, but I find library use one of the most satisfying of public programs. And I urge you to find out what your local system can offer.

Most often when I search a book, I get goodreads.com reviews. I imagine that's the link that folks mostly click.

And I bet it’s feasible to add them. Most library databases are public

Remember back in the day when we had to read a book to find out information? Now we just google it.