The library is the ultimate! When I lived in Mexico, I came to appreciate that libraries are a privilege and not everyone just has one. We all know there are books, but you can also get movies, magazines, online learning, programs, and probably more I don’t even know about. It is the pinnacle of frugal and green: lots of people sharing materials, rather than all buying copies – and all for free! How much more frugal can you get!?
I love the convenience: At the St. Paul Public Library (I’m sure at all of them, actually), once you have a card, you can search the whole catalog online and make online requests to pick up at the branch of your choice. I always choose Sun Ray so I can stop by on the way home from work, saving gas.
On top of that, there are a ton of services. One that is close to my heart is the online Rosetta Stone language learning access for patrons of SPPL. Using your card, you can access this service to learn Mandarin, English, French, Spanish, or Russian.
There is also the Electronic Library for Minnesota (ELM), which I have not played around with but looks awesome. Especially for kids, there is a ton of info here, and any resident of Minnesota can use it. As a teacher this is going in my mental file.
SPPL also offers a ton of free programming for people of all ages. I personally think the most fun one looks like PawPals, where kids read with “dog and human teams.”
Of course, you may be thinking, “Well, it seems free, but the money has to come from somewhere.” If you want to do your part, you can become a member of The Friends of the St. Paul Public Library. I just joined recently, feeling like since I am able to pay something, I should. If there’s a moment where I can’t, I’ll be overjoyed that this rich intellectual service is free for all.
What do you love about your library?
