How to Get the MOST Out of Your Public Library

Step one: Befriend one of the circulation staff members at a local bar. Convince them to text you every time they know a hot new release is coming in so you can put it on hold first.

Just kidding…or am I?

Every time someone says they don’t use their public library, an angel somewhere up there cries. Now is my time to sputter out all the reasons why you should use your local library if you don’t already:

It’s free.
All you have to do to get a card is show proof that you do indeed live in said town.
They’ve got books that you can take home…for free.
Same for movies, music, vinyl, magazines, video games.
Lots of them offer online resources including job search help, language learning, audiobooks, dictionaries, I could go on.
It’s free.
Many offer fun programming for both adults and kids. Case in point, I won last month’s Trailblazer contest and my prize was a water bottle, bag, and first aid kit.
It’s FREE.

Honestly, even if you truly believe you don’t have the time to visit your library on a regular basis, it’s probably still worth joining for the online resources alone.

But I digress, let’s move onto some of the many ways you can max out your use of the local library. (I’ve been shuffling around local libraries and annoying circulation staff since I was shorter than the counter, so I know what I’m talking about.)

Make everyone jealous by getting new releases first.

Getting to read the latest books for free at the library does take some effort but it really pays off. The best way to do this is to use Goodreads or Amazon to look up upcoming new releases and then search your library’s catalog to see if they have already ordered it. If they have, chances are good that you can go ahead and place a hold on it, ensuring that you’ll be the first person to read the new copy when it comes in.

Take advantage of free access to resources like newspapers, magazines, video games and audiobooks

So long as you’re willing to be a bit patient, there’s honestly nothing that you can’t get for free from the public library. I’ve gotten to play relatively new video games for free, free subs to magazines, and more. The only downside is realizing that some resources need to be shared (as in only one person can have a copy of a game at a time, for example) so there are times you will need to wait. But that’s a small price to pay for FREE.

Encourage the library to buy the books you want to read for you.

Most public libraries have an online form or such that allows you to submit recommendations for books for them to buy. In general, if enough people request a book, they will buy it. I’ve had some success with this so I encourage others to try.