I grew up at the Public Library. Both of my parents are avid readers, and as a kid, my siblings and I spent evenings, weekends and a good portion of our summer break scouring the racks of our library looking for the next great adventure. The free access to books was a staple of entertainment in our household.

Now that I am a parent, I am always on the lookout for free (and cheap) versions of entertainment for our family. The Public Library offers just that. In addition to books, public library systems have DVDs, CDs, audio books, magazine subscriptions, Wi-Fi access, story time, research centers, e-books, comfy chairs and tables for gathering, art displays, meeting rooms, lecture series, arts and crafts, puppet theatres…all for FREE. I am in awe that I have access to this multitude of education, culture, literature, history and creativity right in my community.

If you don’t have a library card, then what is stopping you? There are activities and resources for people of all ages. You may find that you enjoy what the library has to offer instead of paying for satellite or cable tv – but we’ll save that discussion for another blog post.