Does it matter if you buy a book or borrow it from the library?

[Ampresus]

Hello everyone.

Currently I am reading the original Spiral Dynamics book and it is the last self-help book I have at home. I was planning on buying new ones, but then it hit me. I could buy all the books or just borrow them from the library. I know that Leo stressed out that you NEEDED to buy the books considering their value. On the other hand, as a teen in the Netherlands I got a free pass to borrow books from the library. Until I am 18 years old I can borrow whatever I want from the library.

I will say though that even the biggest library in town doesn't have all the books. The new self-help books aren't in there, however there are  books from:
- The Jung brothers
- Carl Jung (what is the difference between those 2 anyways?)
- Carl Sagan (my man!)
- Joseph Campbell
- OSHO
- Nisargadatta Maharaj
- Some guy named Freud (a philosopher)
- Maybe Alan Watts

As you can see there isn't much variety or I haven't looked enough. Another option might be that there are tons of great books there, but because their authors aren't so populair I don't recognize their value.

Anyways, what do you suggest I should do?

[rNOW]

If you buy, you have more freedom with the books - like writing in the margins, making notes, underlining, making references, etc. which isn't possible with library books. Also, you might want to look up something while reading something else and you don't want to be running to the library over and over again - especially if you read really good books that are worth reading multiple times. If you are just beginning to read, you can use the library to check out books and then maybe if you find something worth buying, you buy it. 

 

[RichardY]

I look for the source, before I look at someone's interpretation. As raw as you can get. 

Also if you look at changing your metaphysic or lack there of, it will change how you look at everything.

-------------------

Look for used book stores, as a good source: Charity or Thrift shops, Ebay can be good. If you get the Annual subscription to Audible it works out quite cheap. If you can maintaining concentrating better reading do that. Whatever best suits your time constraints.

--------------------------

Instead of Carl Sagan.
Copernicus.

Instead of Sigmund Freud.
Meister Eckhart 1260-1328. A nod to (literal reincarnation...…..) from Eckhart Tolle.....

Instead of Alan Watts. 
Lao Tzu. Tao Te Ching. ( a short book, easy to read, this is a good translation http://www.with.org/tao_te_ching_en.pdf )

If you want to listen to OSHO's books and speech, audible is an excellent place. I do not recommend OSHO, I would be very careful listening to him, as well as all public spiritual gurus.

----------------------

Otherwise just listen and read how and what pleases and you enjoy the most. Collective Ego can be essential to survival.

Going hardcore may not be a good idea.

 

[YaMayka]

I don't think you have to BUY them... If it was to stop you from reading it is better that you borrow, isn't it? You may choose later books that you'd wish to own and buy them.