How to Get the Most Out of Your Library

Nov 12

Nov 12 How to Get the Most Out of Your Library

I love the library. Like. Could spend hours every day in the library kind of love. But even beyond the physical library there are so many ways to take advantage of your library system. Let’s go over a few!

Libby+Overdrive (or Hoopla)
Did you know you can listen to audiobooks and read ebooks for free through your library? I listen to so many of my audiobooks through the library system and it’s so easy to do.
It depends on your library district but you can either download Libby or Hoopla to your smart phone, connect your library card, and then have access to your county’s library of audio and e-books. You listen to the audiobooks directly through the app (it has a great interface, much like that of Audible, Libro, or Scribd).
To read ebooks you can connect Libby to your kindle and get your ebooks sent directly to your kindle for easy and FREE e-reading.
Much like the physical library, there are only so many “copies” of each book, even digitally, so you might have to wait for some of the more currently popular books. Sometimes when I’m watching TV at night I’ll scroll through Libby and essentially set up my holds so the books eventually come in at a regular clip.
There’s also a lot of different ways to search the app, one of being “what’s available” so there are always free books to listen to and read.
I get SO much use out of my Libby app and I recommend it to all of my reader friends.

2. Discover + Go

Fun fact! You can get free tickets to museums and events through the library. Truly! You can browse your county’s Discover+Go section to see what’s available and grab tickets to museums, zoos, and other events. It’s such a cool program and not a lot of people know about it. The Discover+Go section will get refreshed monthly and there are limited tickets for each venue so be sure to check it regularly to see what’s been added.

3. Link+

Link+ has saved my butt so many times, all hail the Link+. Link+ is a system that links all the library districts within the state, so if there’s a book you want but your library doesn’t have a copy, you can 1. request your library purchase said book (you can do that online) and 2. utilize Link+ to have your book shipped from another district to borrow. It opens up SO MUCH especially if you’re looking to check-out a rare book.

4. Kanopy

A free library-based Netflix type service. You can stream movies and TV shows through Kanopy- this is great especially if you’re a film buff and like indies.

5. Movie rentals

I know not a lot of people rent physical movies anymore (I genuinely don’t know if there’s anywhere that rents movies anymore but anyway) but the library is AMAZING if there’s a show or movie you’ve been dying to watch but isn’t on any streaming service. This came in clutch when I wanted to rewatch Northern Exposure but couldn't find it anywhere. Link+ also came in handy for grabbing all seasons!

6. Events. So many events.

I don’t know about you but my library is poppin off with all kinds of events. There are movie screenings, early childhood enrichment playtimes, language classes, community events. Like. They got it going on at the library.

7. Meeting and community spaces

All those extra rooms at the library? You can rent those for free. If you need a group study space, meeting space, focus space, whatever- do it at the library for free.