Libraries aren’t just for books anymore! Libraries have long been one of the greatest public services offered by the government—there is nothing better than free knowledge available to all. If you thought that the library was just for books these days though, you’re mistaken. This government lending business has been expanding in fun ways in different locations around the country, and you’ll never believe the things that a library card can get you these days. I can’t speak for every city so you’ll have to check with your local library to see what kinds of things you can check out for sure—but here are a few awesome things that different libraries around the country are letting people check out:
Tools
If you’ve ever needed to fix up something in your house but you are not necessarily into carpentry you’ll know how annoying getting access to a few tools can be. If you’re like me, you probably do not want to go out and buy an entire tool set just for
a few hours of use. The city of Oakland has solved this problem for you by creating a Tool Lending Library. Not only do they offer thousands of tools to check out, but how-to videos as well for beginners. This is a far better option than buying a tool set that will just sit around and collect dust in the garage.
American Girl dolls
When I was little I used to check out books from the American Girl series from my school library—but now it seems that in some places you can check out the dolls themselves! The Ottendorfer library of New York has been checking out American Girl dolls to kids to play with and then return. If you know anything about the American Girl company you’ll know that their products are ridiculously expensive—so this is a great option for parents who cannot afford to buy their child one of the dolls, or who simply don’t think that spending $100 on a toy is worth it. Check to see if you library has something similar!
Bikes
My personal favorite kind of library is a bike library. Many cities, especially big metropolitan areas, have bike libraries to help you get around town without having to use a car. Lots of suburbs have bike libraries too. Some bike libraries make you pay a small fee to borrow a bike, but most are free—you can check out a bike just like a book, without paying a dime. This is a great option if you only need a bike for a short period of time or are visiting somewhere on vacation and couldn’t bring your own. There’s no better way to see a place than on a bike, plus bikes can help you save money on gas.
Ebooks
Since the advent of ebooks you may have been thinking that libraries were on the way to becoming obsolete. Not true! Many libraries have adapted to the electronic revolution by offering ebook checkouts in addition to paper book checkouts. Check out your local library’s website—many libraries have the option of checking out books for your ereader from their site, though at some you have to be connected to the library’s wifi to get a book so you’ll have to be physically there. The process of checking out ebooks could save you tons of money on late fees for overdue books.
Leave a comment and let us know what kinds of things you can check
out from your local library!
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