The Public Library: Where Borrowing Is Greener Than Buying
Does the promise of free books, music, and movies pique your interest? Then grab your library card and check out your public library!
As someone who has spent huge chunks of her life pouring over books in a library, I am always surprised by the number of people who do not know about the offerings of today’s public libraries.
Many libraries are making great strides to provide (at no cost aside from late fines) what the public wants. Offerings often include the following:
- Bestseller and classic fiction and nonfiction books
- Current and classic DVDs and CDs
- AudioBooks on CD and cassette
- Downloadble AudioBooks and eBooks
- WiFi internet access on-site
Right now, I am borrowing a recently published vegan cookbook, a new independent movie (Easy Virtue), a copy of The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers, and a new soundtrack CD from the New York Public Library. As an added bonus, while I enjoy browsing the stacks and discovering new things, my library (like many libraries) allows users to request an item online and then emails them when the item is ready for pickup.
Even if I end up having to wait a little longer to obtain a copy of a current bestseller or new movie or if I have to pay a late fine occasionally – and I will confess that this happens more frequently than I would like – borrowing from the library is greener and cheaper than buying new by a mile.
