It’s Day 5 of my 30 Days of Writing project and today I’m bringing you a post “From the Archives” that originally appeared in a September 2025 newsletter. This may be a trip down memory lane, but the benefits of having a library card are the same!
I’ve moved around a lot in my adult life and one of the first things I do in each new city is check out the local library and sign up for a library card! This month I’m celebrating all the ways that having a library card improves my life and the communities I’ve lived in.
E-books and audiobooks. I use the Libby app almost every single day to download books from my local library. My husband has read 24 audiobooks in 2025 and 95% of them are from Libby too!
Physical books. If I’m in need of some retail therapy, my first stop is always the library. It’s like shopping, but free.
Desktop computers for kids. We do so much on our phones and laptops, so my son gets his “desktop computer practice” with a regular keyboard and mouse at our local library.
Children’s events. Movie nights, Lego afternoons, and themed parties are great to get kids out of the house for no or low-cost.
Book clubs. Many book clubs require you to purchase the book at the local bookstore, but library book clubs usually have enough free copies for all participants!
Printing services. I’m a millennial and so our home printer is usually broken or the ink is dried up. Embarrassing, but true. In a pinch, I’ve used my local library to print documents!
Study rooms. I work from home, so if I need a change of scenery or the power goes out, I head to a library. There are not many places in society where you can just “be” for free.
Literacy tutoring. Many libraries have community events and volunteer opportunities posted. I signed up to be a literacy tutor and met with my student each week at the library.
There are many other services that I haven’t even utilized, so get a library card and check them out for yourself!
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