I was thinking of maybe taking up reading books from the library.
Interested in mysteries (fiction and non-fiction) and maybe some biographies.
I think Clark was on board with using the library.
Do you use the library ? if so, what free or low cost resources do you use ?
Not having a printer I have been going once a year to print up my auto registration, but that’s been about it.
I use the library all the time, mostly for books and their genealogy databases, less so for movies and other things. Sometimes I have to use interlibrary loan to get books from other libraries in the state because my local branch is pretty small. It’s always been free.
For mysteries, I’d recommend The Rope: A True Story of Murder, Heroism, and the Dawn of the NAACP by Alex Tresnowski, and Finding Everett Ruess: the Life and Unsolved Disappearance of a Legendary Wilderness Explorer by David Roberts. Both are non-fiction set in 1910 and 1920s, resp.
I use the local library for interlibrary loans on books, CDs and DVDs. I borrowed the Ron Chernow biography of George Washington recently to read.
Check with used book stores.
Also local to me are at least 2 ‘lending libraries’. One is a small shelf outside the local gas station. Another looks like a big bird house outside someones house. People take a book and return it or swap in another, all on the honor system.
I use their audiobooks regularly (available through the Libby app). We also homeschool and our library offers free access to LearningExpress, which has free printable workbooks, test prep, etc. Our library also offers free access to Transparent Language, but I pay for another language program that we’ve had success with.
My wife loves audio books from the library. Comparing it to commercial audiobooks, it has to be one of the best deals around. I’m a reader and get much better deals on my kindle than are available via ink & paper books. I use my Kindle for reading books 99% of the time.
A local library offers free movies, up to 8 per month to watch on your TV. They use a streaming service called Hoopla. You install that on your Roku TV or other streaming device, and you are all set to check out your movie selections from the large number of movies and TV shows that are available each month.
The Libby app for your phone is very good. With it, you can listen or read online or download to your phone so you can use it without internet. Around here, it links to Northern Cal Digital library [NCDL] which networks with many different member libraries. NCDL is the site I access on my laptop. They offer e books as well. Clark has an article on free library resources, including Hoopla which seems to have older movies and books. Your local library will probably network with other services and resources like magazines and newspapers, tool loans, etc. You can call them or check their website to inquire
Some books, videos, audio books and so on may be found at ARCHIVE.ORG.
Don’t forget, that some libraries have used bookstores. Mine is in Sterling Heights, Michigan, and we have quite a large selection of used books, magazines, DVDs, CDs, jigsaw puzzles, books on CD, and other related items.
You can borrow WAY more than books, movies, etc from a library these days. Mine has an “seed catalog” for growing produce and flowers…though I don’t understand how you return seeds accurately, lol. Later this year they’re going to start up a power tool library as well. And one of my favorites is being able to electronically borrow family museum and national park passes.