Libraries Are Cooler Than You Think

 

When was the last time you visited a library? Has it been a minute? If you haven’t been recently, you’re missing out. Libraries are extremely helpful. Let’s find out how.

 

Are you paying for audiobooks? If yes, my suggestion is to stop wasting your money and start getting free audiobooks from your local library. Did I mention the audiobooks are free? Just register for a free library card, download the Libby app, and start downloading! The downsides are that you only have 21 days to listen to each of your books and popular titles might take a few weeks or months to arrive. However, you can borrow up to 10 so there will be plenty to listen to while you kill time for the latest release to arrive free in your app.

 

I haven’t been a huge audiobook person but some books seem better consumed by audio. Memoirs by artists who read their books are the main reason I listen to books. I also listened to Atlas Shrugged because many people said it was a must-read but it was far too long to tackle so I listened to it instead. Read my review of Atlas Shrugged here:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/662.Atlas_Shrugged

Audiobooks that are read by the author that I recommend are:

Born a Crime by Trevor Noah

Will by Will Smith

A Promised Land by Barack Obama

I Must Say by Martin Short

 

They also have real books! Books are those things with pages that people sit down without their phones and read! And they’re free! Stop buying books and read them for free from your local library.

 

Here are some other services that Ottawa public libraries offer. Who knows what magic your local library offers? Go find out!

 

-DVDs

-Magazines

-Quiet

-Video games

-3d printing

-Classes

-Computer use

-Printing

-YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/user/BiblioOttawaLibrary

-Lamination services

-Creation spaces. suspended due to Covid but sounds fun

-Photocopying

-Book club and other programs to help adult literacy

-Digitization Lab. The Digitization Lab at the Beaverbrook Branch features three stations that allow visitors to create digital copies of historical photos and documents

-Imagine Space.

https://biblioottawalibrary.ca/en/imagine-space-and-labs

The following cutting edge equipment is available in the Imagine Space: 3D printing and modelling; Laser cutting; photo, video, and audio editing; green screen and video gear; hand tools and electronics; and a wall-to-wall whiteboard

https://biblioottawalibrary.ca/en/imagine-space-and-labs 

-Music editing station.

The music editing stations allow library users to produce, record, and edit audio files.

 

-Homebound services.

OPL customers can request to have OPL employees regularly select Library materials and deliver them to their door every month. This free, bilingual service is available to borrowers who are confined to their home or residence for more than 3 months because of age, illness, or disability and cannot visit a library branch or bookmobile stop.

 

Ottawa is building a new main public library branch. The cost? Over 330 million dollars. How luxurious.

 

https://globalnews.ca/news/8266283/ottawa-central-library-construction-costs/

 

I hope I’ve convinced you to visit your local library. The library also accepts suggestions on materials for them to order but they do limit your suggestions to 3 a month so use your suggestions wisely.

“The very existence of libraries affords the best evidence that we may yet have hope for the future of man.”

T.S. Eliot