Library Books . . . The Dialectic

I love libraries.  I love interlibrary loans.  I especially love Summit and WoldCat and all the other services that let me get books from ANYWHERE in the world.  Seriously, they're awesome.  But there is a problem with libraries and it is continually apparent.  The fact is, libraries only lend books.  I don't get to keep them.  Which means that after a few weeks, I have to take them back or face fines, even if I haven't finished them.

And let's be serious here.  I haven't finished them.

The reason I haven't finished them is because I like to read more than a few books at the same time.  When I'm researching something I like to have at least five different books out and put them in dialogue with one another.  I find the dialectic helpful.  It's as though Book A (who we'll call Georg, for no particular reason) and Book B (who is Sophie; again, for no particular reason) are having a discussion in my mind.

"Well," says Georg.  "I believe that this is how it is."

"Clearly," says Sophie, who also speaks in a mildly British accent, "you've never considered the existential ramifications of x, y, zed.  Honestly.  Why Steven picked you up in the first place I'll never know."

"Perhaps," says Georg, "he really liked the cover illustrations."

"Yes, he would go in for something like that."

And so on like that.  The point is that I have a peculiar style of readings that does not make borrowing from the library the most perfect medium.  Ideally, I would have endless shelves that I could fill up with books that I have purchased (with the unlimited funds I have acquired through a recently deceased and heretofore unknown rich relative).  But that situation will probably never happen.  So I'm forced to plow through those books that I've checked out and hope I can get through them before the fines rack up.