I know my stint working at the library was short, but it reawakened a passion for reading that had been dormant for months. I spent December running the numbers up after not having finished a single book since January of 2025, and I managed to get eight books read in a matter of weeks. I’ve already surpassed that number in the past three weeks alone. It was an extremely welcome alternative to doomscrolling over the holiday season.
Reading is really one of the last things available to Americans that:
Can be done for free.
Does not force you to view ads.
Is socially acceptable to do in public spaces for hours.
Is private and protected (seriously, you think librarians are square but they are on the front lines protecting our privacy and right to read, punk as fuck).
I know a lot of us vocally support the ethos of the public library and having a public library and want to encourage more library use, but having been here for a few months and being trained on my own local library’s ins and outs, I think a lot of people are still pretty unaware of exactly how much they can support and use the library without ever having to go into the library building or being much of a reader.
digital stuff
Most library-aware people know their library offers some kind of access to ebooks and audiobooks through apps like Libby, CloudLibrary, Hoopla, and Palace Project. (Nota bene: To my knowledge, only Libby books can be accessed through Kindle. If you’re in the market for a reader and are not sure what your library uses, I’d sooner recommend an iPad or your phone rather than investing in a Kindle. See me for further e-ink recommendations though.)
One thing I love to do because I am a kindergartener in a 40 year old body is borrow a physical book from the library, then borrow the audiobook from one of the apps and do a little immersive reading experience. Best done on older books without a huge wait list.
And libraries offer access to a bunch of other things too! Here are a couple of apps I’ve seen offered by libraries across California and the East Coast, and can usually be found through your library’s Digital Collection or eLibrary heading:
Kanopy – Yes, your library has DVDs, but if you don’t have a DVD player anymore, you can stream a bunch of movies through Kanopy. Recent movies you’ve heard of too, not just classics.
Rosetta Stone or Mango Languages – Learn a new language, or a few of them.
Udemy – Lots of training and tutorials online to help you pick up a new skill.
Proquest – I’ve only seen this available through LA Public Library, but this search gives you access to tons of news articles and journals to support your research. Very helpful if you’re not currently a student or educator and are researching/writing for funsies or outside your real job.
non-resident? non-problem!
If you’re between the ages of 13-21 (or 26) and don’t have access to a library or your resident library has been targeted by book bans, the Books Unbanned program offers access to banned books and digital collections for certain libraries across the country.
Additionally, some states have programs for digital media access to all state residents. In California, it’s called California’s Bookshelf. Check if your state has a similar program.
non-digital stuff
Beyond physical and digital media, libraries offer tons of other great stuff that you may not have known about.
Passes to museums and state parks – My library offers parking passes to any state park for about two weeks, which many patrons use for camping. Library systems in bigger metropolitan areas also usually offer passes to museums for free or reduced rates.
Wi-fi hotspots – Many libraries also offer checkout of wi-fi hotspots for at least a few days (if not weeks) at a time, in case you do not have internet access at home, or need internet access outside of the library.
Seed libraries – Some libraries offer seed packets for beginning gardeners, and might be part of larger sustainability projects. Meaning these seeds are probably provided by local companies and are native to your region and will help pollination.
Library of things – You’ll have to check in with your local library to see what they offer, but lots of libraries offer access to just random stuff. My library has hiking backpacks (?! I guess we have a lot of hikers). Larger library systems around me have maker spaces, or at least some access to 3D printers and cutting machines. The LA Public Library has a pretty legendary maker space dedicated to Octavia Butler that has access to 3D printers, cutting machines, sewing machines, and even music and film production equipment. The LA County Library (different system) offers power tools and musical instruments. The Hartford Public Library also has a pretty wide range of stuff in their Library of Things including tarot decks, air fryers, and knitting kits, and that’s all the way in the tiny state of Connecticut, so it’s worth a search in case libraries in your state have similar things for checkout.
Other community resources – As someone who has been recently unemployed, I know that trying to figure out what resources are available to you is confusing and scary (and often intentionally so). The library, or at least the library website, is a great place to start. Many libraries have programs specifically for veterans, immigrants, decarcerated individuals, unhoused people, seniors, or adults with disabilities. But if you don’t fall into any of those categories, they still offer information on regular degular services like legal help, starting a business, food pantries, emergency preparedness, and health referrals. The websites usually have some good information on what is offered and when it is offered, but I know our library also keeps a bunch of flyers on a wall by the door for easy access.
support your library
Again, I know it’s cool and great to perform support for libraries on social media and among your friends, and I promise I don’t mean that in a bad way. We love the free publicity. But it’s really important to also keep the numbers up to continue funding and actual support for the library. And again, it’s easy and completely free to do.
Get a library card. Lots of libraries will let you apply online, or at least start the process (after which you’d just need to show up to the library at some point to verify your address).
Take out materials. I’ve already listed loads of ways to use your library card online without having to go to a physical location, which definitely counts, but if you’re more of a physical book reader, you should know that lots of libraries have gotten rid of overdue fines and will automatically renew books for you if they’re not waitlisted. As long as you don’t outright lose or damage books regularly, you’re in the clear, so don’t let the anxiety of a late return stop you from checking out books.
Tell your friends and family! Seriously, get library cards for your kids. Drag your partner and parents and cousins. Make your next friend date at the library. You can plug in your laptop or phone for free and sit there for hours and chat (at a hushed volume that is not disruptive to other patrons — or hell, just go outside, they usually have gardens to hang out in).