Second Cup: Enjoy your library

Use resources beyond checking out books

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio Good Morning,
This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's
tip is to enjoy your library. While the official National

(00:23):
Library Week happens in late April, you could plan to
make next week your own personal library week and come
up with some new ways to enjoy the space. When
most people think of the library, they think of checking
out books. Instead of buying a particular book you want

(00:45):
to read, you get it from the library and thus
save a few dollars. That is certainly a worthwhile endeavor,
but libraries offer a lot more. As you plan your
upcoming week, you might want to build in a visit,
even if that current bestseller has a really long hold list.

(01:10):
One good reason to visit is to actually discover what
you might wish to read next. Libraries are often much
like bookstores in that books near the front are displayed
in attractive ways that make you want to scoop them up.
Some of these displays will focus on new acquisitions, just

(01:30):
as a bookstore would, but some will be different. Given
the nature of a library, the librarians may have pulled
together a display on the same topic as a local
museum exhibit with titles that have been published over the
past twenty years, or maybe there will be a display
on the history of a sport that your local team

(01:52):
excels at. You will find intriguing stuff you hadn't considered
reading before, and the upside of a library is that
there is zero financial trade off involved in taking a risk.
You could also visit to figure out what to cook
for dinner for the next few weeks. It is hard

(02:14):
to know from the get go if you will use
a cookbook over and over again or if it will
just sit on your shelf taking up space, so why
not try it out from the library first. It's like
a recipe app but without the fees. You can also
visit to get some cheap visual inspiration decorating in art

(02:37):
books tend to be very pricey when you buy them new,
and if you're like me, you might only look through
them once or twice, so by all means, by your
favorite artists collection, but for everyone else, you can get
the benefit of flipping through them without putting out the cash.
Just go to your library. I often visit the library

(03:01):
to figure out little local adventures. When you stop in
sometime next week, look at the community bulletin board. A
lot of local libraries have them. You can see who's
doing a concert in a nearby coffee shop, and if
there will be a craft fair in a nearby park,

(03:22):
someone might be offering a free group ukulele lesson. I mean,
you really just never know until you study all those
bright pieces of paper. Libraries themselves often offer activities. My
toddler is a regular at story time and music class.

(03:44):
You might stop by a library branch during evening hours
to take in the art exhibit in their upstairs community space.
That could be a little adventure right there, a sophisticated
evening at a not so sophisticated p You can also
work at the library. Indeed, it is the most affordable

(04:08):
coworking space in town for those who work from home regularly.
You could take some time this week to make your
library your second workspace. If you are stumped on something
or having trouble concentrating, maybe your library could get the
creative juice is flowing. At least, it will be a

(04:31):
change of scenery, and unlike a coffee shop, you don't
have to buy anything to take a spot at a table. Finally,
you don't actually even have to visit your library to
use it. My current little library hack using the Libby
app to borrow library ebooks and then reading them right

(04:55):
there on my phone. Sometimes, if I am stuck waiting
in my time toddler's room for him to fall asleep,
I will borrow a handful of magazines through the Libby
app and flip through them and return them an hour later.
It feels just a little bit nicer than scrolling through Twitter,

(05:16):
but it doesn't take any real effort or cash. So
as you plan your upcoming week this Friday, as I
know my listeners, do, think about when you could enjoy
your local library. Maybe schedule a leisure visit for reading
and then work visits on work from home days. Challenge

(05:38):
yourself to find a community adventure for the weekend on
the bulletin board and then download something fun at night.
I think you will find yourself amazed at all the
possibilities in the meantime. This is Laura. Thanks for listening,

(05:59):
and here's to making the moose of our time. Hey everybody,
I'd love to hear from you. You can send me
your tips, your questions, or anything else. Just connect with
me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. At before breakfast Pod.

(06:20):
That's b E the number four then Breakfast Pod. You
can also shoot me an email at Before Breakfast Podcasts
at iHeartMedia dot com that before Breakfast is spelled out
with all the letters. Thanks so much, should I look
forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is a production

(06:43):
of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app,
Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.