Controversial Bookish Topic: Lending Out Your Books

My first Controversial Bookish Topic post of 2022. As a result, I decided the series needed a photo update. So here we are!

Today's topic, as you probably can tell, is lending out your books. This is a slightly controversial topic, but it's thankfully not as heated as some other controversial bookish topics. So, whether or not you're part of the bookish community, you may be wondering: "What's the big problem of lending out your books?" Well, let's go over three scenarios of where this can be a problem (and why it's led to controversy).

Scenario One: The condition in which the book is returned.

Common courtesy is that you return the book in the condition it was loaned to you. Obvious, right? Sadly, although it's "obvious," this common courtesy is not always followed through with. Many readers have experienced situations where their books are returned with damage to some extent. Sometimes, it's accidental (which I'll go over in a post on February 15). But more often than not, it's an insensitivity - if not full-on disrespect - to the fact that the book belongs to someone else.

Scenario Two: Big moves.

Another "obvious" common courtesy is that you return the book once you're done, or if you haven't picked it up since receiving it. However, people move - either to another city, county, state/province, or even country. Sometimes, the book is forgotten about in the process. Sometimes, it's found and returned, but there is some damage (Scenario One). However, sometimes it's never returned, which leads to the next scenario.

Scenario Three: The book is never returned.

This scenario probably happens more than Scenario One. Additionally, Scenarios One and Two are probably the biggest factors in this scenario. We loan out our books, and they never get returned. However, no matter the reason (or, sometimes, "excuse"), you loan out a book, and it's never returned. Even if we ask about it, and are reassured that we'll get it back, it's still never returned. And, depending on the book, we may have to buy a new book to replace it.

If you're not a reader, hopefully, these scenarios help you understand why so many readers are hesitant, or even reluctant, to loan out their books. And if you encounter them being hesitant, be a little understanding.