Research Skills 101: What Good Are Libraries?

When I was a college student, I remember the first time I realized that some people have no clue what purpose libraries serve. A college professor found out I worked at a library, and he asked me…no, I’m not kidding…if I just read all the time and played solitaire on the computer. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the sum total of this professor’s thoughts on libraries was that. It wasn’t exactly inspiring to my budding library career at the time.

If only he had taken the time to find out everything we actually had to offer. At various times in my library career, I referred to libraries as community centers, job help locations, medical resource aids, meeting locations, and free bookstores. That doesn’t even cover all the services libraries have to offer. In a time where money is in short supply and information is shaded by opinion, let’s have a discussion about what libraries have to offer the local community.

1. First and foremost, yes, libraries have access to free books and other resources. If you are on a tight budget or prefer to live frugally, this is a great way to manage your budget and still enjoy a new book.
2. Many libraries now offer access to free ebook and audiobook programs if you are more digitally minded.
3. If a library cannot purchase a book for the library due to budgetary constraints, you can ask them to request it through interlibrary loan. This program allows libraries to borrow books from other cities, counties, and sometimes even other states. This is also a helpful way to save libraries money for titles that may only be requested one time.
4. If you don’t have internet access at home, libraries offer free computer and internet access usually with the full suite of Microsoft Office programs, and you can usually print pages for a small fee if you need to.
5. Libraries of all sizes often offer access to a free local book club, and they will assist members in gaining access to a free returnable copy of each month’s selected book.
6. Public libraries also offer Summer Reading Programs for kids, teens, and even adults. They may hold free activities and give away prizes for people who sign up or attend.
7. If you are a little out of date with your computer skills, many libraries offer basic computer classes. (I know this to be a fact because I teach some of these classes in an adjacent county.)
8. Some libraries will offer free or paid meeting room access to groups. A general rule of thumb for free access is that the meeting has to be open to the public, but check with your local library to find out what they offer first.
9. Libraries may also provide access to free academic resources from large companies like Gale or Ebsco. Students can find online articles and even test prep materials for free. You may even find language learning tools available online through your local library.
10. Many libraries may offer free (often limited) access to genealogical websites so, if you want to do family research, this makes it lighter on your wallet. Also, those libraries may offer access to local county records.
11. If you homeschool your kids or just want to provide some low-cost educational activities, some libraries offer access to STEM or STEAM kits. Just be sure to return all the pieces when you’re done so other families can use them, too.
12. Some libraries are making free internet hotspots available for checkout which is really helpful if you are on a budget.
13. You may also find seed exchanges, jigsaw puzzles, book club kits, and even access to local “passport keys” which are free passes into large museums and historical sites.
14. If you are a parent, your local library may offer lapsit programs for little ones up to toddler years and a storytime hour with literacy and craft activities for older children.
15. Getting your child a library card is a good way to teach them responsibility for the items you allow them to check out, and it allows them independence in selecting the titles they want.
16. If you live in a county with a small library, other counties usually allow you to pay an annual fee to give you access to their physical and digital materials. The annual fee is requested because counties pay for libraries out of their own budgets so essentially you are paying a fee to access what residents have paid for in local taxes.
17. Libraries provide reference services for free. Sometimes there will be a librarian or department devoted just to this service. This means, if you need help finding information about a topic, the librarians can help you locate good information.
18. Some libraries will keep a book sale running all the time, or they will have a sale or sales throughout the year to raise extra money for the library. This may be books pulled from the shelves because they no longer circulate, or it could include books residents have donated but the library couldn’t use.

This is only scratching the surface of what libraries have to offer the local community. Libraries are invaluable to residents, but many times, people don’t even realize what all is offered. If you get a chance, stop by your local library to see what they have available and which services they offer. Don’t write off the importance of your local public library until you have visited to see what it is like and what is available.

Just remember, the first known libraries (also called archives or record rooms) were found in the ancient empires of Babylon, Egypt, and Assyria in the third through first millenniums B.C. (Foskett & Haider, 2025). Yes, you read that correctly – 3000 B.C. to 600 B.C. Libraries are no less important today to give everyone access to information and encourage literacy. Don’t wait for someone else to tell you what to think. Go find the information yourself at your local library.

Reference:

Foskett, D.J., Haider, S., Estabrook, L.S., Francis, F.C. (2025, June 10). library. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/library

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And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:32, NKJV)