On some Saturday mornings, I venture with the kids to the local library.  Self reliant people would be well served to do the same.  The value of the local library is threefold.  It is free (or low cost), entertaining, and educational.

The library has hundreds of free books, magazines and newspapers, and multimedia collections (some libraries charge a dollar for DVD borrowing still a bargain compared to Blockbuster).  Books can be perused at the library or borrowed for later use at no cost (unless you return the books late and owe fees-- not a frugal approach).  I do the same at bookstores-- previewing books before ever committing to a purchase and only buying books on coupon or through eBay or Amazon.

The library is entertaining for the kids as they can look at or borrow books and use computer programs we don't have at home.  Books are expensive and kids do grow out of them-- why purchase books that will end up in some future tag sale (aka yard or garage sale)?  If the kids happen to fall in love with a certain book, by all means you can purchase a copy.  Finally, some libraries sell books for fifty cents to a dollar for fund raising purposes for the library.

Lastly, the library is educational for both you and the kids.  Many topics can be explored and discovered.  I especially like this aspect.  I don't use the card catalogue.  Instead, I prefer to find or be directed to a section where I would find the book and then I scan all the books in the section.  Sometimes I have a "happy accident" and find a more relevant book than the one I was looking for originally.  I will also walk the stacks to discover entirely new topics that I might be interested in.  Finally, there are sometimes free educational seminars and workshops to attend.

A final note:  Did you know that with a valid library card from your hometown you can borrow from other libraries?  With that ability, you then have thousands of titles at your disposal.  Happy hunting!

This post originally appeared on DivorcedDadFrugalDad.com, here is the link to the original post, How to Use the Value of Your Local Library.

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DDFD believes that self reliance and self sufficiency are the roads to individual freedom.  He is dedicated to living a quality life through frugality, personal growth and productivity, and defensive entrepreneurship.  He also enjoys cooking from scratch and fishing.