library_benefits

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Library Benefits

By: Marybeth | November 27, 2007 | Category: General

I like the idea of having an in-home library with old, built-in bookshelves and rows of hard-bound books, but I don’t have the space, shelves, or books. My collection—if you can call it a collection—consists of tattered paperbacks stored in cardboard boxes.

Photo of library books Other than reference materials, a few favorite books, and special editions that were gifts, I find that most books end up in storage boxes. So, driven by hopes of reducing clutter and saving money, I’ve gone back to the stacks.

It’s free and easy to sign up for a library card. You can find a library near you by entering your ZIP code in the Library Search box on USA.gov’s Government and Public Libraries page. From here, you can also access federal government libraries, presidential libraries, the Library of Congress’ Ask a Librarian, and more.

Library holdings vary, but in addition to paper books, music, and DVDs, some library systems offer eBooks and eAudiobooks, which you can download to your computer or portable device. If you need help doing research or navigating the catalog, talk to the library’s best resource—the librarian(s).

When I started using the library again, I figured I’d only stick with it if it ended up being convenient. It has been convenient, though I’ll admit that I’ve had to renew every set of books I’ve borrowed (and perhaps had to do a few renewals on a certain Tolstoy novel). Still, such transactions are easily managed online. Taking everything into account, it's been positive and I've ended up doing more than reducing clutter and saving a little money—I’ve made more time to read.