My good friend, Dianne, started this nifty little poll about our book and reading habits. Since I am a book fanatic, I couldn’t pass it up. So without further ado…

1. Where do you most often buy your books? Online? Secondhand stores? Big name bookstores? I get most of them online, but anytime I’m in any other bookstore (Borders or B&N, usually), I find myself tempted and often pick up “a little something.”
2. If you buy online, which do you prefer – B&N or Amazon.com? Ebay? Christianbook.com? or elsewhere? Usually Amazon.com. But I use Christianbook.com fairly regularly too. I’ve also gotten books from Half.com at a great price, but I’ve only done that a few times.
3. Do you put your name in your books? If so, are you a bookplate or stamp person? I’m pretty sporadic about this. Sometimes I write my name in them, sometimes not. I’d love to find a really nice book stamp, but I just haven’t come across one that fits what I want yet.
4. How do you feel about loaning books to others? I’m pretty good about this, although it’s hard sometimes — with books that I really love or consult regularly. There are a few people that I know I can trust to return them and I have no problem lending them books. As for other people – those who haven’t proven themselves as trustworthy book-returners – I tend to be a little hesitant. But I’ll be the first person to admit that I’ve had Dianne‘s copy of Songbird way too long (and if I have others, Dianne, let me know!).
5. Do you highlight or mark your books as you read? Yes, although it took me a while to be able to do this. I used to want to keep them perfect and pristine, but I so often found myself leafing through books looking for that one phrase that I was trying to remember… it’s so much better to retain and later find information when you have it marked!
6. How often do you visit your local library? I cannot answer this question. Because then I’d have to admit that it’s been over a year since I went to the library. I really need to get on the ball about that.
7. Do you collect any certain kind of book? No, but I have a sizable “collection” of parenting books. We also have my mom’s hardcovers of Zane Grey westerns and her collection of classics… so I guess she did the collecting for us!
8. What do you do when you’re done with a book and no longer want it? I just sold a whole bunch of stuff on Amazon.com. It’s kind of a pain to have to get a book to the post office within 48 hours of getting the notice that it sold (I mean, I know that’s reasonable, but it’s not always easy with a baby around), but I made quite a bit of money – over $40 – on books that I knew I’d never touch again. I also sometimes take things to the half-price bookstore, but I never seem to get much there. Mostly, I pass books along — to friends, to my mom, etc.
9. Do you keep a list of or catalog the books you own? I have tried cataloguing our books — many times! But I never get very far. I still hold out hope that I’ll do it someday, though…
10. Any other weird book habits you’d like to share? Besides the fact that I’m always reading 3-10 books at the same time? Or that any purse I use must be large enough to accommodate at least a paperback? Or that there are books-in-progress near any spot in our house where I regularly sit? Or that I’d rather have books than jewelry or shoes? No, I don’t think I have anything else to share.

I had fun answering these questions and would love to see others answer them too! If you do, let me know in the comments, so I can come check it out!