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I’ve let someone borrow one of my books. I’m still not sure how I feel about this. Does anyone else feel weird lending out their books?

I’ve let someone borrow one of my books. I’m still not sure how I feel about this. Does anyone else feel weird lending out their books?

Abbi #questionnaire

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85 Answers

Chrissie

Hate it as I keep my books pristine. Best friend borrowed one once and split the spine and turned the corners of pages. Could’ve cried but she did replace it and never did that again. She did say she hates borrowing my books as she doesn’t know how I keep them so new looking lol

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Nichole

I loaned out a book back in December I believe. Still have not gotten it back.

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Haley

I loaned one out august 2016 and havent gotten it back yet. Also loaned out a movie and they refuse (different person) to give it back. Jerks.

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Belinda

I love how you remember this from 2016…that is sooo me! ?

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Febinger

I hate when my friends read them and don’t love them like I did.

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AbbiQuestion author

Yeah, I’m hoping she likes this book.

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Susanne

@Febinger, I feel the same way. It happens with movies too. So I am a lonely movie goer 😉

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AbbiQuestion author

I trust her to look after it even though she did jokingly threaten to break the spine and fold all the pages over. I was tempted to take it back and just send her screenshots of the pages ?

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Cathy

Yes I hate doing it as you never get them back in the same condition

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Rebecca

I lended out a couple of books to a person few years back and they never returned them to me. I will never do it again unless a very close friend or family.

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Kim

I’ll loan out books. But there are certain books that I will absolutely not loan out.

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Vicki

Yes. That is why I don’t lend books.

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Mary

No as long as I get them back. I am ok with it.

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Michele

I only lend my Kindle books because after 14 days they are automatically returned. 🙂

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Belinda

I’m petty so I will keep all the information in a log and if I don’t get it back, I’ll send reminders ?

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Febinger

Not petty, smart!

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Marie

“Neither borrower nor lender be” !!! Cant remember who said that, probably my mum lol!!!!

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AbbiQuestion author

My dad was a fan of that when I was after money as a kid ??

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Marie

@Abbi My mum probably said that for the same reason lol!!

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Sean

I think I’m in the minority but I really don’t mind lending my books out, I’ve got about 5 loaned out at the moment ?

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Lesley

Totally

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Tricia

? yah to the sharers ❤

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Sharon

I always lend my books. They are meant to be read!! And returned?

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Jacki

I’ve lent out 5…Got none back so far ??

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Lorne

Just accept that you may not get it back

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AbbiQuestion author

I know where she lives and works ??

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Pamela

Don’t do it people don’t respect your books and you can lose friends.

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Liz

No. I love sharing books—the main reason I don’t download everything to my kindle.

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Lesley

Exactly x

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Alyssa

I’m a once and done with my books so I always pass them on. There are a few that I have that are very special to me so nobody gets them.

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Tricia

I lend my books out. ☺ I want my friends to experiance and share in the awesomeness of them. They are meant to be read and absolute worst that happens i pay a few pounds to buy a new copy if there was an accident if they dropped them down the toilet or something. Im not precious. Cant take them with you anyway when your gone. I happily share.

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Lesley

I totally agree Tricia x

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Tricia

So glad to see other sharers exists
??❤

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Stephanie

I only loan them out if I’m comfortable never seeing it again. Otherwise I won’t. Not worth the resentment that happens when a friend or family member doesn’t return it.

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Laura

I love passing my books over to other people to share. As long as they return, but I do donate a lot to charity too so happy to also give away in some cases.

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Pam

There’s a line from the movie Out of Africa that goes something like this…. . Finch- Hatton says to Berkeley I loaned a book to a friend and he hasn’t returned it. He is not my friend anymore. Barkley says you mean you would lose a friend over a book? And Finch Hatton says.. well he did didn’t he?

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Kristy

I am not a fan of loaning books and I have made that pretty clear to my friends. However, I do buy extra copies of the books I love to give out to friends and family! I have probably purchased and gifted 2 dozen copies of The Secret Life of Bees and The Help!! ?

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Anne

The Help was fabulous. I have recommended it too.

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Cheryl

The only person that I lend books to (and I also borrow from) is my daughter, and I know exactly where to find them again. My bookshelf is in my bedroom.

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Hannah

I don’t like loaning books.

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Jasmine

I love lending out my books, but I do occasionally have a hard time remembering which book I’ve lent to whom and then it gets worse when they take a long time to read it ?

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Emily

I do not lend my books unless I am confident in the person. I have two friends who I will lend them to because I know they will take care of them and I’ll get them back

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Janet

Don’t do it. I let a friend borrow a couple of books, and they came back with the pages dirty and bent for markers. Another friend never bothered to return the book she borrowed when she moved away. So no more. Let them buy their own books, or go to the library or try the used book bins. Like money, should not be loaned to friends if you want to keep those friends on a friendly basis.

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Sherry

I don’t do it anymore since my harry potter never came back

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Janet

Jordan…now that IS sad. I don’t blame you one bit. I wouldn’t loan my Potter books to anyone for any reason.

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Lesley

I am happy to lend books and if I don’t get them back there’s worst disasters in life

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Anne

Yes I rarely lend books. Have had too many tragedies where l never got them back.

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Rock

On reflection, I more readily lent my children for sleepovers than I do books.

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Janet

Me too. But then, my books were sometimes more friendly toward me than my children.

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Nicolin

A book on a shelf brings joy to no one. I always read a book and past it on. Especially with books that I love!

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Rock

I dig glancing over the spines & briefly remembering the story & what was going on in my life at the times I read them. Kinda like listening to a 70s tadio station.

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Lesli

I never lend out my books. I did once and found it in a box of stuff that was getting thrown out

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Janet

That would upset me too. Just as getting them back all dirty and their backs broken upsets me. It shows a lack of friendship I think.

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AbbiQuestion author

Wow! How rude ?

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Sarah

I love lending out books, it feels nice to love a book so much you want to share that story with someone!

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Lesley

I agree Sarah , I’m having a hard time understanding people not being happy to lend – each to their own I suppose x

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Janet

That’s nice. To each his own.

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Samantha

I only loan my books to my mom because I know she won’t break the spine on them and that I’ll always get them back.

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Joy

Very much so….

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Wanda

I only like to lend to good friends ( that I trust).

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Natalie

I promise to take very gopd care of said book i even offered to sign a contract, plus wear special cotton gloves. I will return it once read as it was lent thank you for letting me borrow it x

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AbbiQuestion author

You all witnessed that! ???

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Rachel

Yes I just can not do it

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Donna

The worst is when they don’t return them.

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Janet

Okay. You lend your books to your friends, a couple might come back with a thank you. But many don’t. And you deciding you want to reread a book and find it hasn’t been returned need to buy it again. Unless you run a library like system, where they sign out a book and in again…you are the one footing the bill. IF you are one who likes to reread your books, this is a solid fact. Don’t say you weren’t warned. lol

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AbbiQuestion author

I’m sure she’ll take care of it.

*bites nails*

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Janet

I have said I don’t lend anymore. Burned too many times I am afraid. Those who claim it is a kindness and pleasure to lend their books to others, are free to do so. I will not.

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Alice

I lost my favorite book by loaning. Repeatedly asked for it back and she never returned it. Then she and her husband split and she moved to Texas. Still no book ?

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Linda

That is why I got a paperwhite!

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Jade

I will only loan out books when I don’t care if I get it back.

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Michelle

100% uncomfortable. I think people think that because I have so many that I can just part with one or two or a handful. And what really gets me is when they want to “borrow” one of the good ones…one of the pricier..or harder to find books. Like, “Sure Brenda, I buy books and starve all week until the next pay check so you can just take them from me and never return them. I like giving money away”….NOT!!

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Gail

I will gladly loan out anything I own, including books. They can be replaced if need be!

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Marie

If I lend a book in my mind I know I might be giving a book. I don’t share my absolute favourites but if someone wants to read a book all the better. More readers =better world.

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Lynette

Sometimes

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Nicole

Yesss!! I’ve lost many books this way! I started keeping a list on my book shelf like a library and telling people they can have it but I’m putting their name down so I don’t forget ?

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Frances

I do!! I am extra, super careful as to who I lend ANY of my books too! If I see that they’ve creased the spine or turned over the page of a book, in order that they know where to resume reading, then there’s no way they will borrow a book of mine!!

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Ann

I only lend to one or two friends, always write my name on the book, put it in a plastic bag for protection and have a list on my fridge with what book I leant out

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Kimberly

I’ve learned that if you lend a book out, you may not get it back… It’s hard to say no though.

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Rachael

Yes I never get them back

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Carrieanne

Yeah coz I’ve done it in the past and the book hasn’t come back

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Nokomis

Only my manga. It’s expensive.

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Jason

i remember books ive lent out in high school back in 1997.
i want my franz kafka collection back!
lol

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Cameron

I only lend to select people that I trust

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Debra

Not at all!! Love passing them on ?? especially when I’ve really enjoyed them!!!!

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Annie

Books are meant to be shared, that way you get to benefit too!

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