I went years without stepping into a library. I assumed it was just books I would never read. Then a coworker mentioned she had canceled three streaming services and replaced them all with her library card, and I started paying attention. Libraries have quietly become one of the best free resources available, and most people use maybe ten percent of what they offer.

Free streaming and digital media

The Libby app (by OverDrive) is the big one. You sign in with your library card and get access to thousands of ebooks and audiobooks. You borrow them just like physical books — they download to your phone and automatically return after the loan period. No late fees because they return themselves. I read 23 books last year without spending a dollar.

Kanopy is the library version of Netflix. It has a focus on independent films, documentaries, classic cinema, and educational content. The selection is different from what you get on streaming services — more Criterion Collection, less reality TV. Most libraries give you a certain number of free streams per month, usually around 5 to 10. It is free with your library card.

Hoopla is similar — movies, TV shows, music albums, comics, ebooks, all free with a library card. Hoopla tends to have more mainstream content than Kanopy, including newer releases. The trade-off is that individual libraries set different borrowing limits.

Other things libraries lend (that will surprise you)

Some libraries lend tools. Hammers, drills, saws, sewing machines. Some lend baking pans in specialty shapes you would buy once and never use again. Some lend musical instruments. Some lend seeds — you “borrow” seeds in the spring, grow the plants, and “return” seeds from your harvest in the fall.

Many libraries offer free museum passes. You check out a pass just like a book and it gets you and your family into local museums, zoos, aquariums, and state parks for free. This alone can save a family $100 or more on a weekend outing.

Check your local library’s website. The things they offer beyond books vary a lot by location, but most people never even look. I found out mine lends pressure washers. A pressure washer. For free.