Summer is almost here, and that means getting outside, having fun in the sun, and touching grass. But if you need to cool down for a bit, allow me to sing the praises of the library. If your local library system is anything like mine, it probably offers a lot of great things for you to do, both tech-related and not, at no extra cost.
I’m part of the Multnomah County Library system, and I’m frankly spoiled by all of the things available with just a free library card. The perk I use most is the ability to fill up my Kindle with the wide selection of ebooks made available through OverDrive, a platform that partners with thousands of libraries to distribute their digital collections. Thanks to this option, I basically always have something to read; I’m able to put 10 holds on ebooks in the catalog, and I’ll usually just do that when I get a recommendation from a friend or see something that might interest me. When the hold finally comes through, it’s a matter of a few clicks for the book to be ready to go on my Kindle the next time I open it up.
Sure, it can sometimes take weeks for a hold to be ready, especially for popular books. I waited a long time for my hold on Project Hail Mary to come through. (Worth the wait!) But I’m a slow enough reader that the wait usually isn’t a bother for me. When I open my email and see a notification that a book I was anticipating is ready for me to download, it’s a fun treat. OverDrive also has an app, Libby, where you can read books and magazines and listen to audiobooks.
OverDrive says it works with “more than 92,000 public libraries, K-12 schools, colleges and universities, and corporations in 115 countries worldwide,” so there’s a good shot you have access to it, too. If you want to see if your library or school supports it, you can check OverDrive’s website.
My library card doesn’t just let me borrow ebooks, though; my library system also partners with a free service called Hoopla, which gives me access to a bunch of streaming films, TV shows, music, and even comic books through its website and app. Thanks to Hoopla, I can often listen to new albums the same day they launch on other streaming services, and my wife has fallen in love with shows like A French Village, watched the entire run of the UK’s The Office, and rewatched Orphan Black.
There are a few major caveats: The catalog isn’t nearly as good as what you’ll find on a paid service like Netflix or Spotify, video content doesn’t stream in 4K, and you only have a limited number of items you can borrow each month. But in a pinch, Hoopla is a good place to find something new to check out, and best of all, it doesn’t cost me anything. To see if you can access Hoopla, the platform will look for partner libraries near you when you sign up, or you can check with your local library. (If you have a library card, you might also want to check and see if you have access to Kanopy, another service with TV shows and movies.)
Of course, the library has many physical books that I can check out to read, too. Even though I do most of my reading on my Kindle, there’s still something unbeatable about sitting in a cozy chair and cracking open a good real book every once in a while. (Helps that a physical book never runs out of battery!) The Multnomah County Library system also offers DVDs and music CDs, so there’s a lot of other great physical media to check out. Some library systems even lend out video games, which seems like a great way to check out new titles in an increasingly expensive hobby.
So far I’ve just talked about the things you can borrow from the library, but many libraries offer valuable community services like computers, printers, rooms for meetings, programs for kids and teens, and even makerspaces. And the library can also just be a nice, quiet place to sit for a little while, especially if it has air conditioning.
You may already have a busy summer planned with places to visit and things to try. But you really should leave some room in your schedule for a trip to the library. I know I’ll be making a few visits.
Screenshots by Jay Peters / The Verge
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