Going to the library is a great way to try lots of new books for free.  There are so many children's books old and new and you can't possibly buy them all.  Using your local library to determine your favorites before purchasing is definitely recommended.  The problem with the library is that they have lots of lousy books.  It is a good idea to have list of good books with you that you want to check out while you are there.

The bookstore has the latest in children's books.  They have favorite books old and new.  The downside of the bookstore is that the books are pricey.  I like to take a trip to the bookstore to find books that I might want to checkout at my library.

Lastly, my favorite resource for book lists and book browsing is www.amazon.com.  Amazon will show you what customer's rate the books, as well as reviews.  You will find lists of people's favorite books and what people who bought this book also bought.  You can spend a lot of time on Amazon going from page to page.

I have come to peace with the fact that I don't want to own tons of books.  I just want to own our favorite books.  My number one source for books is the library.  I have found it difficult to find books while searching the shelves, but my county offers home delivery.  About once a week I look at Amazon and find books that look good and then request them from my local library.  This has been a valuable resource for me.  It doesn't matter what method you use but do include a healthy dose of reading to your children each week.