National Library Card Signup Month runs Sept. 1-Sept. 30. Getting a library card is free and easy. Just stop by with an ID or a utility bill with your current address. Everyone knows you can borrow books from the library with your library card, but did you know there are many other ways to save money with your library card? Here are 12 of them:
- PrintMe: Print, Copy, Fax, or Scan at Bowman and Handley Libraries or send documents right to the library from home! Much cheaper and more convenient than the big box stores; it’s a benefit we can all use.
- Notary Services: All three branches have free, limited notary services. It’s super easy, and you just need to call ahead to check hours and availability.
- eMagazine Access Galore! Not only can you instantly stream magazines on your device, but there are hundreds of titles to choose from, with access to past issues as well. There’s no limit, so magazines lovers are delighted. Have fun and save a ton of money on subscriptions!
- Hoopla: Another service in our Digital Library, hoopla Digital provides patrons an enormous selection of digital video (movies and TV shows), music, audiobooks, eBooks, and comics instantly. Thousands of titles available, you really could get away without having to buy a streaming service at home.
- Learn all about computer programs, online for free! The GCFLearnFree.org program is designed to help you learn the essential skills needed to live and work in the 21st century. From Microsoft Office and email to reading, math, and more, GCFLearnFree.org offers more than 180 topics, including more than 2,000 lessons and 800+ videos.
- Why pay for expensive SAT or ACT classes if you can study it at home, at your own pace, for FREE? Learning Express offers these tutorials and more, including help studying for graduate school admissions tests or the GED to name a few (practice tests included)!
- Free Wifi: Not only can you come to any branch and use our Wifi, but you can also take a T-Mobile hotspot to use at home! The devices allow free internet connection on the go and anywhere T-Mobile service is available on your smartphone, laptop, tablet, or other mobile device.
- Learn a new language… or two, or three. Mango Languages is available to anyone who has a library card. With almost 100 languages available, we’ve got you covered. Did we mention it’s free?
- Get real, live job help online. JobNow by Brainfuse provides live, certified educators and navigators seven days a week from 2 pm to 11 pm for application, résumé and cover letter writing, job searches, and interview practice. Why pay for help to get a job?
- Need to grow your business? Reference Solutions provides access to accurate & complete business and consumer data for job seekers, small business owners, marketing professionals, and researchers. Find new business opportunities, research executives and companies, read news articles, conduct job searches, research papers, locate addresses and phone numbers, conduct market research, and much more.
- Consumer Reports. Not sure what refrigerator or computer to buy? Get access to Consumer Reports articles and rankings online.
- And, finally, books (and DVD movies, videogames, and music CDs)! If you’re an avid reader, you could spend hundreds of dollars buying the latest books at the bookstore. Checking out library books, videogames, DVDs, and music CDs instead saves you money, and you get the latest materials available to you at the same time!