Perhaps the ultimate in careless spending is paying for something you can get free. And no place offers more valuable free stuff than your local public library.
A library card gives access to a plethora of freebies bought by your tax dollars, many you probably don’t know about.
“In essence, you’ve prepaid for all of these services, so you may as well get good use out of them,” said Jennifer Owens, adult services manager at the Fremont Public Library in Mundelein.
If you haven’t visited a public library in a while, you may be surprised by the breadth of lending materials and services available. Of course, libraries offer books and magazines, which alone would save you about $140 a year on average, according to government consumer expenditure statistics.
Below is a sampling of the more creative ways to save money at the library:
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Internet access. Getting online has become a standard service at virtually all libraries. And today, a quarter of public libraries and two of three academic libraries offer wireless access, which means you can bring a wireless-enabled laptop computer and log on for free. Some even let you check out a laptop computer for use in the library, said Larra Clark, a spokeswoman for the American Library Association.
With high-speed Internet access costing about $40 a month, that’s a savings of nearly $500 a year. And the Internet is one of the most efficient ways to comparison shop for products and services.
Entertainment for adults. Eight of 10 libraries offer cultural programs, including talks by authors and musical and theatrical performances, according to the library association. Occasionally swapping in a cultural program at the library instead of two tickets to a show could save hundreds of dollars a year.
Entertainment for kids. From story hours to puppet shows and skits, free programs for children are available at all libraries.
Business resources. Libraries offer business resource centers with information on how to start a small business, find a job or write a good cover letter.
Recorded music. Nowadays, most libraries carry an extensive collection of audio CDs. It could pay to listen to an artist first before wasting money on a CD you don’t enjoy.
Videos. Many libraries carry mainstream entertainment VHS tapes and DVDs. You could easily cut in half your monthly video-store spending.
It may be especially prudent to borrow instead of buy children’s videos if your child quickly tires of a film.
Recorded books. Books on tape or CDs are great for long car rides, airport layovers or a distraction during exercise, but they’re expensive to buy. Libraries have them for free. Some even offer MP3 versions of books on tape, letting you download them to your own computer or handheld device.
Meeting rooms. Reserve free space at the library for meetings and community gatherings.
Instructional programs. Libraries offer free classes, including programs on identity theft, how to buy or sell a home, gardening or using common computer software, such as Microsoft’s PowerPoint.
Research. You’ll meet few people who are more helpful for free than research librarians, even if it’s just to help you look up a phone number. And many librarians are pros at using expensive electronic databases.
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Gregory Karp is a personal finance writer for The Morning Call, a Tribune Co. newspaper in Allentown, Pa. He can be reached at [email protected].
To locate a library near you, consult the blue pages of your phone book or check www.publiclibraries.com.