Growing up I’ve always loved going to the library.  I’ve had my card since I was a kid, and though there were periods when I didn’t go to the town library, I was using the school libraries as well to get my books to read or other activities.  Then of course I volunteered as a teen and now I work at the library.

So of course I’m going to list some reasons why you should love the library.

It’s in my Librarian blood!

The thing is, now the library isn’t just a place to go get books.  While that’s still the main reason I use mine (as do many others) there is so much more that libraries offer now and that just gives us all the more reason to love them!

Reasons to Love the Library

1. Free book borrowing.  The obvious reason we all use the library.  As much as we’d probably love to, we can’t afford to buy ALL the books.  And sometimes, we might not like what we read, so why waste the money?  I like to check out books from the library that I’m on the fence about buying, because that way if I think I’ll reread it later… I’ll just buy it when I’m ready.

2. It’s not just books you can check out.  Libraries offer a variety of materials you can check out, including  audiobooks, DVDs, magazines, and CDs.  There are even other cool items such as WiFi hot-spots, cake pans, board games, and much more!

3. Programming.  Libraries always have programs going on for all ages.  Whether it’s story-time for the kiddos or book clubs or lectures, there’s usually something you can find for a free night out with your family or friends.  Some programs my library hosts (or has hosted) are an anime club, two book clubs, writing workshops, lectures, author expos, easy cooking (no bake treats) for kids, live streaming story-times, language learning clubs, and so much more.

4. Free WiFi/Computer use.  No computer?  No problem!  Libraries tend to have a number of public computers that their patrons can use (for free!) to apply for jobs, write papers, or just gallivant on the internet for a few hours.  And if you do have a laptop, but no WiFi, the library has that too!

5. Librarians. Librarians are the best (and I’m not just saying that because I am one… I’ve always loved librarians). Not only are they super helpful when you need to find a book, but they also give the best recommendations. They can also be some of the quirkiest people you’ll ever meet.

6. Community. Libraries are no longer the silent spaces you see in older movies and TV shows.  With all the programming and other things going on, they’re more of a central community hub.  They’re still pretty quiet, but don’t expect it to be dead silent anymore, and we librarians will only shush you if you’re being obnoxiously loud or talking on your phone (that’s still a no-no). But libraries are a great place to meet up with someone, whether it’s to just chat, do some work together, or attend a program together. You’ll also find that librarians can be pretty chatty too, especially when we get into discussions about good books!

7. Spontaneous reading. Some of the best books I’ve read are ones that I randomly decided to check out from the library.  Some titles included are The Eye of Minds, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend, Orbiting Jupiter, and Love and Other Train Wrecks.  These are books that I loved and would actually read again (I also ended up buying a few of them because I enjoyed them so much!).

8. Relaxed environment. Due to the general quiet of the library, it’s a very relaxing place to just hang out for a while.  Whether you need to get work done, want to read, or just hang out and explore the library, you don’t feel as though you’re under a microscope like in some other places.  For the most part, you’re left alone to your own devices… as long as you’re not actually causing any trouble.

9. Online resources. These resources don’t just pertain to ones used for extensive research, but also ones that allow you access your library’s digital collection (if they have one) as well as use other resources for learning that would normally cost money.  A few that we offer where I work are Lynda.com (used for skills on computer, business, photography, and more), Mango Languages (learn a new language), and CreativeBug (baking and crafts).

10. Used Book Sale. Libraries tend to have annual book sales where you can get a ton of books for really good prices.  They sometimes have them more than once a year or have book nooks that are year-round sales.  But really, who doesn’t love building up their library with good books for a better price?

Do you use libraries a lot? Why or why not? What are your favorite things about libraries?