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Where can one get books, movies, games and programs in one place and for free, or a small fee? If you don’t know the answer, you have not been to your local library recently. Libraries are the BOMB when it comes to those of us on a budget. Many local libraries are not just places to take books out anymore. You can find tons of movies on DVD. In some libraries they are even lending out Blu-Ray movies. Kids and adults have access to computers with free Internet. Some libraries even have toys to lend out.
Adults can find career centers at many libraries, which offer assistance in finding a new career, or how to interview properly to land a new job and resume writing assistance. There are also chances to take those “dreaded” defensive driving classes that lower you insurance rates – you know the ones, take all day and normally happen on the most beautiful Saturday of the season – for much less than it would cost through your insurance company’s classes.
Teenagers can find SAT Prep courses offered at the local library, which many libraries do not charge for or charge a much smaller fee than those chain places, like Kaplan, that offer the classes. Parents can find classes for their little ones to take them to, or to participate with them at the library which cost nothing or far less than Mommy & Me! There’s knitting, learning a language, support groups, fairs, movies to see, computer classes to learn how to print address labels, or learn how to use Microsoft programs like Word and Excel. So much can be found at the library for all ages, even senior citizens.
The Library is an often forgotten resource in many neighborhoods, but is such a great help to many of us who just want to be frugal and tap into the free “stuff” we pay taxes to have! If you have not experienced the library in the summer and you don’t have air conditioning in your home……another great way to spend some of the hottest days of the summer is at the local library. Better than heading to the mall where you will be tempted to BUY things. The library—look into it! November Sunflower recommends it!
Your Local Library: More Than Just Free Books
Want to try something new? Do it over the Summer!
Our library offers the Kill-A-Watt to patrons, so we can borrow it and check to see if our electronics are driving up our energy bills, or if it’s time to replace an old freezer. The $40 price tag on a Kill-A-Watt kept me from buying, but I’ve found it fascinating to see how much energy some things are using even when turned off.
Our library also hosts authors as guest speakers, in conjunction with the local independent bookstore. They had Barbara Kingsolver out in November!