“I’ve always imagined that heaven would be a library of sorts.” So said famous novelist Jorge Luis Borges, and if you love study carols and those storied old buildings full of wisdom, you probably share his heavenly spirit.
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Today the library is as essential as ever. I mean physical libraries, the same brick-and-mortar buildings that have been lending books since the dawn of America. However, how does a space full of hardbacks and CDs keep pace with the digital universe? By adapting to your logic and evolving over time.
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With a simple library card, you can put your tax money to good use and support one of the best institutions out there – all the time for literature, magazines, music, movies and even more. That while enjoying an unlimited supply of free office space. Here are some of the facilities provided by your local library.
1. Ebooks and Audiobooks
When you think “library,” you think of books. But books come in many varieties, including picture books for kids, paperbacks for the beach, and large-print books for those with visual challenges.
The explosion of media has also given rise to many new formats: Libraries today still boast an impressive number of e-books and audiobooks, all for free with a library card. All you need is your e-reader (like the super-cheap Kindle) and/or an audiobook app that supports your library’s file types (like Overdrive), and you can binge TV shows along the way. Can binge on books.
Just keep in mind that eBooks and audiobooks from the library come with due dates, just like print books do – you’ll usually be able to keep your copy for about two weeks, then you’ll need to renew your reading material. , or it will be available again to other library cardholders.
Specific titles, especially beloved bestsellers, may not always be available. However, you can place a hold request, just like in print books, and get a link to download it as soon as your copy is available.
2. DVD and CD
Long before streaming, libraries tried to compete with video and music stores with one major exception – tapes, DVDs and CDs would be free to check out with a library card.
Of course, the selection can be a bit more limited, and new releases won’t be found as quickly, and sometimes DVDs or CDs get scratched and difficult to play. The movies will be free, and are still free at your local library.
The best way to approach a library’s selection is to treat it like a thrift store: You never know what’s donated over the years, so you can browse the eclectic collection for old favorites or old blockbusters that suit you. never met
3. Wi-Fi and Workspace
A “virtual office” usually means one of two things: your home, or a cafe. Coffee drinks add up, and sometimes leaving the house is a boon to productivity. Solution: An open table or padded chair, courtesy of your local book-lender. Every major library has free Wi-Fi, outlets, and designated places to work, and your only limitations are hours of operation. (And obviously, don’t make any phone calls).
Libraries often have secluded workspaces and conference rooms that you can reserve.
4. Computer
Need a computer too? Virtually all libraries have desktops available, and some even have laptops that you can rent on-site. These devices come with a time limit for their use, but they still come in handy for many situations, and they also have printers available for frequent use. That’s why libraries make excellent work spaces.
5. Free Images
Need great stock images that are more historical or natural, or famous works of art, or need to see some local maps? Libraries can help everyone with this.
The New York Public Library has 200,000 free images that you can use for any purpose, and you can download them from your home right now. It also houses a collection of 180,000 works of art, literature and performance, many of which are in the public domain, as well as 672,000 items in its digital collection in general.
Check out any item in your home now, and use the public domain one for just about any purpose you can think of. Then perhaps enjoy the collection of coloring pages from world-class libraries and museums that you can print out as and when made available through the libraries’ digitization efforts.
Also, don’t forget to check out what similar services your local library has—you might find some great old maps of your city or paintings by local old-timers.
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