People hear the maxim “Leaders are readers” but may be put off by the thought of spending a fortune on buying books, but you can build your library of books without spending a fortune.
But first, you need to understand that a book is an investment. Let’s say that you spend $12 or $20 and get one great idea from the book. How much is that idea worth to you? It’s an idea that no one can take away from you, and you can share the idea and the book with others.
You can often find physical books inexpensively online, at used bookstores, and in garage sales. Modern paperbacks hold up well if treated respectfully.
You don’t need to purchase books to read them. Leverage your local public library. Many churches and social clubs have libraries as well.
Digital books create even more options! Project Gutenberg has put thousands of books online to download for free. There are E-lending library services like Lendle and Overdrive. Amazon Prime members have unlimited Kindle loan rights to more than 60,000 titles.
One strategy I encourage leaders to use is to arrange for sharing books with people in your organization. I have participated in group ownership of great books. We set up a bookshelf in a common area and left books there for anyone to borrow. I have a pastor friend in Ghana who finds good religious books and shares them with other pastors in his region. Others have begun the same practice and now there are hundreds of books available to the group rather than just a handful per person.
Be creative and wise with your funds. Cost should never be a limiting factor for you to read more books.
Great post. Kindle is the way to go if you do digital. Call me crazy, but I love an old fashioned book and a highlighter, though.
I often read a book first on a Kindle, and if I really want to get into it, I get a physical book and mark it up. Plus, it’s still more difficult to “loan” a marked-up digital book than I’d like it to be.
Have found great used business books at Half Price Books’ e-comm site (www.hpb.com). Just purchased three copies at 99 cents -$10 each, and all originally retailed for $75 or more.
Fantastic! I will check that out! Thanks for sharing.