Consumerist
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crisis averted
Philadelphia's Public Libraries Not Closing After All
Lovers of books, free Internet access, and community gathering spaces, rejoice. The Philadelphia Free Library will not be closing on October 2nd, as previously threatened. More » -
libraries
Philadelphia To Close All Public Libraries October 2nd
UPDATE: Philadelphia's Public Libraries Not Closing After All
What frugal person doesn't like libraries? They're like a video store, only better. Which is why we're horrified to learn that thanks to the economic meltdown and the state of Pennsylvania's inability to pass its budget, the Philadelphia Free Library is closing on October 2nd. They'll be ending all services and programs, and closing all of the buildings. They want all of the books back, too. More »
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libraries
Live In Ohio? Your Library May Soon Close
Here at Consumerist, we love libraries. They're like some weird, old-school version of Netflix, but with books! And free! That makes them one of the most cost-effective sources of entertainment and reference material around. Unfortunately, Ohio may gut the funding on this public resource if the proposed state budget goes through. More » -
There's a new free app for the iPhone called Audiobooks that connects you to 1800 public domain recordings, mostly of classic books. [TUAW]
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crime
Iowa Woman Arrested For Failing To Return Library Book
Thirty-nine-year-old Shelly Koontz was arrested for failing to return a copy of the The Freedom Writer's Diary that she borrowed last April from the Jessup library. The library had tried to reach Koontz through four calls and four letters, one certified, which she refused to accept. Fed up, library officials asked to press charges, leading officers to visit Koontz's home with three simple options: return the book; pay the library $13.95 so they could buy a new copy; or, go to jail. More » -
libraries
The Poverty-Stricken Masses Are Flocking To Libraries
Why waste precious cash at Borders and Barnes & Noble when you can go to the library for free? It's a simple question that is causing traffic local libraries to spike as flocks of new patrons register for library cards. We've praised libraries before, but it takes a depressing recession to convince people that yes, even they could use an extra buck in their wallet. More » -
frugality
7 Ways Your Public Library Can Help You During A Bad Economy
Reader MG is a fan of the site and a public librarian and has written a list of 7 ways that your library can help you during a bad economy. Libraries are an excellent resource and they're pretty easy to use. Don't worry if you're not a big reader, there's lots more stuff to do at the library besides just checking out books. More » -
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harsh
6 Days In Jail For Overdue Library Books
Beloit, Wisconsin does not f*&% around when it comes to library books. When your books aren't returned to the Beloit Public Library, three overdue notices are mailed out and then you may be issued a citation that could possibly include a court date. More » -
credit reports
An Overdue Library Book Could Scuttle Your Dreams Of Home Ownership
That unreturned library book could threaten your credit score if it becomes a permanent fixture on your shelf. According to the New York Times, libraries are treating borrowed materials as debts and siccing debt collectors on borrowers who fail to pay longstanding late fines. The Queens Public Library has used Unique Management Services to collect over $11.4 million from delinquent borrowers, who may not realize that their unreturned books could eventually stand between them and a mortgage. More » -
tips
WorldCat Turns You Into A Library Power User
We've written before about the money-saving goodness called your local public library, but a lot of readers may not know about a powerful online search tool, WorldCat, that lets you search the holdings of 57,000 libraries in over 100 countries. Even better: "Tell it what book you're looking for and your zip code or city, and it will pinpoint the nearest library that has the book." More » -
college
Save On Textbooks By Borrowing Them From The School Library...
We always knew one of the biggest scams in college was the school bookstore, but we never realized that you could actually try borrowing textbooks from the library. The blogger behind The Baglady certainly did:
"It's hilarious because I had a class with 200+ people, and there were 3 to 4 copies of the current edition of the textbook in the library, but no one borrowed the books except for me... I just kept on renewing the books until the end of the semester and kept them in my locker."
Not all your books might be in the school library but it's certainly the first place to check, and after that, the used books on Amazon.
How I Saved Over $30,000 While In College and What I Did with the Money [The Baglady via Frugal For Life]
(Photo: Lisa Pisa) -
libraries
The Friendly Reminder Amazon And Barnes & Noble Would Prefer We Kept To Ourselves
Consumerists, we want to say one word to you - just one word. More » -
netflix
Free Netflix Rentals For Brooklyn Residents?
The Brooklyn Public Library may replace its DVD inventory with a Netflix subscription. According to the NY Post, talks are underway to offer free Netflix deliveries to any Brooklyn resident with a library card. The proposal makes sense when you consider the challenge of maintaining a DVD collection in fifty-eight branches."DVDs are very expensive to buy, and they're also very expensive to move because they're delicate," Vitali said.
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libraries
Sports Illustrated Refuses To Send Swimsuit Issue To Libraries
Why is Sports Illustrated refusing to send a copy of the swimsuit issue to libraries? Is it because they want people to buy it off the shelves? Robyn writes: More » -
complaints
Google Hates Public Library's Blog
- "I read with amusement your recent piece on the rapid resolution of the google blog deletion, since of course blogger kills blogs every day (just browse the blogger support google group for head counts). One of the kill tactics that is especially swell is their spambot. Now I have no sympathy for true splogs and I appreciate that they're trying to combat this. But as our small public library just found out, spam isn't all they're killing."
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