Are you someone who hates the current trend of there being a billion streaming services that all suck in some unique way? Do you wish you can have access to the media that interests you without having to spend a dime? Do you want to be able to consume content without feeling like you have to resort to piracy? If you said "yes" to any of those questions, then I have the perfect solution for you!

When people think "Library", they'll typically think of, well, books! Whether you were a young child being taken there by a parent trying to get you more interested in reading, or you were a teenager or young adult going to one to either read something that interests you, do some research for a school assignment, or to just escape the noisy bustle of the world for a few hours while perusing novels that may get you to raise an eyebrow, libraries always found a way to get involved in our lives. Modern developments such as the Kindle have made accessing literature easier than ever, but the comforts of visiting a library during the week to silently peruse a large catalogue in person is a relaxing feeling all on its own. Visiting a library is worth it just to have a moment to slow down and relax while seeing what books await those who may be interested in them. It helps that you can learn a lot from a good book! Plus, having a library card means you can take a book home with you for a while to enjoy it in the comforts of your own living space. Of course, you can't keep it to yourself forever, but library rental periods are usually long enough to give you enough time to finish what you found in there.

Nowadays, however, you aren't just getting books at a library. Many libraries offer tons of other reading material outside of books, as well as ways to consume literature without having to read a book! For those who have a hard time sitting down to read a book, whether it's due to eye strain or something else, audio books are aplenty in most libraries! For some, listening to a reading of a book is an easier method of consumption than reading a physical book, so if you fall into that category, libraries have you covered! For those who like looking into old news stories or find it therapeutic to flip through old issues of People, libraries offer a decent selection of newspapers and magazines to peruse. What about people who prefer comic books? Not only will you find a decent selection of graphic novels, including those that compile issues of popular comics, you'll also be able to find some manga! My local library has a good number of JoJo's Bizarre Adventures volumes, so if I ever want to read that manga I can walk right in, pick up a volume and start reading! I can't guarantee that your library will offer the same things to read, but if you go to your library and check, you may find things that you never thought you'd see in there!

As society advanced, libraries have evolved to not only offer book and book-adjacent items, but also other forms of consumable media. For instance, you may find a decent selection of movies to rent, with some even being in blu-ray format! Some libraries will keep notices up showing visitors what recent films are coming to DVD to be borrowed from the library, as well, so don't think that you're going to only be getting old films when you're perusing your library's offerings! With movies being available, you'll also find TV Shows. If you're one of the many people that got into shows like Friends or The Office during lockdown and you want to watch shows like those without having to worry about which streaming service they're going to hop to next, checking your library to see if they have any seasons of those shows can save you some headache!

Now, here's one that should interest the gamers in the audience. Not every library is doing this, but libraries can also offer you the ability to borrow video games from them, as well! I've seen libraries stock games from 7th gen to games from the current generation, offering a good selection of PS5 and Switch games to borrowers. There's a library near me that I can borrow Persona 5 Royal from, for example. Now, as I said, not every library is doing this, so I am once again asking that you go to your local library and take a look around, because if I could find things like this that catch me off guard, then surely you'll be able to do the same, whether it's a cool book or movie or show or what other interest you have. Visiting a library is always worth the trip!

Alongside all this physical media, there is a world of digital media that becomes instantly available to you when you get a library card. Firstly, your library may allow you access to ebooks and audiobooks that you can access via your browser or through an app on your phone! There are a good number of different digital services your library can support, so it's worth checking your library's website to find out what they offer! Outside of those, you may also gain access to movie streaming services free of charge! Take Kanopy, for example. This is a streaming service that allows you to watch hundreds of movies and shows ad-free for free when you enter your library card information! Of course, not everything will be there, but they do offer a wide enough selection that you'll be able to find something worth watching! Another service your library may offer to you is called Hoopla. Not only does Hoopla offer digital access to ebooks, audio books, movies and shows with your library card, but they also offer comic books, manga, and music!

Of course, you're borrowing titles here, much like in a library. Some ebooks may not be available to you if someone else is borrowing them, for example, and you may only be able to borrow so many ebooks at one time. Hoopla and Kanopy also employ measures that limit the amount of media you can consume on their platforms per month, so you're going to have to be selective about what you watch, read or listen to. The tradeoff here is that you have so much to choose from, and you don't have to worry about late return fees, as items you're borrowing are digital and tied to the server of the streaming site. Also, you're not paying for these services at all. They're free with your library card, so you don't have to worry about monthly charges at all, which means that if you don't use one of these services for a while, you aren't losing money! Say "goodbye" to sunk-cost fallacy!

The digital services offered by your library may not only include things like ebooks and movie streaming. You may also have access to a service like Pressreader, which allows you to digitally read current newspapers and magazines, allowing you to keep in the know about the events of the world without having to use a social media app that drains your will to live! (Disclaimer: Reading the news may make you upset regardless of whether or not it's on social media. Can't fix everything wrong with the news, sadly.) You may also gain access to services that focus more on giving you information to develop new skills. Take the language-learning application Mango, for example. Mango offers courses to help you learn how to communicate in over 70 different languages (including Japanese!), and your library card will allow you to access all of their lessons free of charge! You may also gain access to a service called Udemy. This is an online learning platform that offers tons of videos to help you develop new skills! There are free videos offered from this service, but your library card may allow you to access even more lessons for free, allowing you more freedom in terms of what you can learn about!

Is one library enough for you? You're allowed to say no, and your library card may give you access to more than one library anyway! Some libraries have multiple branches, each offering their own physical selection of books and other items. Outside of that, your library card may allow you to borrow from a number of reciprocal libraries. These are libraries that are around you that you may not be able to apply for library cards for. By checking your library's website, you'll be able to find a list of different branches of your library system (if applicable), as well as a list of any reciprocal libraries you can access. This is an excellent perk, since no two libraries carry the same stock. Some libraries may carry forms of media that your primary library doesn't, as well. Remember when I mentioned that not every library carries video games? Well, having access to different library branches and reciprocal libraries ups your chances of finding a library that you can borrow from that carries video games by a ton!

You may be someone who does not have the ability to go to your library physically. This does not mean you can't apply for a library card, however! Check your library's website to see if they allow you to register for a library card online! The library card number you receive after applying will allow you to access the digital services that your library offers for no charge at all! Your library wants you to get a library card regardless of whether you can come in and ask for one or not!

Libraries also offer one additional thing: a sense of community. Your library may be hosting any number of events for the public to enjoy. They can be movie nights, yoga sessions, cooking classes and more! They may also be hosting digital events, allowing you to feel involved from the comfort of your own home. If you have kids, your library may be hosting events specifically for them, giving them a good chance to learn and socialize with other kids in the area! You can also see what events are coming up on flyers or bulletin boards that are in your library, as well as on their website, so make sure to check and see if they have anything coming up that interests you!

If you've read this far, then that means you now know about the perks of getting a library card. Physical media, digital media, and learning tools become instantly available to you when you receive one. You can apply online if that's more your style. You can keep up with events to get to know your community more. You may even be able to go to more than one library! I hope I did a good job outlining the benefits of getting a library card in a world that wants us emptying our pockets just to access the media we crave. If you already had a library card before you read this, then I hope you may have learned something new about what you can get out of it from this. If you don't have a library card, I hope I was able to convince you to go and get one. Go online and do some research on what libraries are in your municipality and which one you can apply for a library card for!

Also did I mention this is a completely free process because I feel like I haven't said it enough this is a FREE SERVICE YOU CAN ACCESS YOU CAN HAVE ALL OF THIS FOR FREE SEIZE YOUR DREAMS AND CEASE THE ENDLESS STREAMING BILLS TODA-

[*You see two security officers drag Banktoad away as he continues to scream about savings.]