In this summer of falling wages and rising prices, many of us are giving serious thought to the idea of replacing our traditional vacation with a so-called staycation close to home.

While it is certainly possible to plan special days for the family without venturing to the airport or spending long days on the highway, it can be a real of a challenge to find variety and new adventures close to home.

A surprising and relatively little-known resource for families looking for quality outings on a tight budget is the local public library. Increasingly, with the help of donations from patrons, libraries across the country are offering their members the opportunity to borrow passes to museums and other area attractions at no cost or nominal cost.

Usually borrowing is limited to twenty four hours after which the pass must be returned or a fine incurred. Sometimes a small refundable deposit is requested. Most libraries restrict borrowing to residents of the town or city they serve and normally borrowers must have a library card. Programs differ, but often it is possible to reserve passes for dates well in advance in order to make vacation planning easier. Most library websites provide links to the attractions to assist with planning as well. Passes are typically configured to allow entry to a group of four or more people.

This service has become increasingly popular in both large cities and small towns. For example, the public library in South Hadley, a town in western Massachusetts, offers its members free passes to four museums in nearby Springfield, as well as to the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge. They also offer a Massachusetts Parks Pass and a discounted pass to the Mystic, Connecticut Aquarium about two hours to the south.

Across the state, north of Boston, the Lynn Public Library provides low-cost or free passes to a variety of area attractions including the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, the Museum of Science in Boston, the House of Seven Gables in Salem, the Stone and Franklin Park Zoo in Stoneham, and the Sports Museum in Boston, among others.

In Troy New York, residents of Rensselaer County who have a valid library card may borrow passes for up to three days to attractions such as Mass MOCA, The Albany Institute of History and Art, the Hancock Shaker Village and the Iriquois Indian Museum.

As this trend continues to grow, finding low cost ways to spend quality time with family will be as simple as a trip to the local library. While there, use your library card in the traditional way as well by checking out a local travel guide or trail map to learn what other fun lies undiscovered in your neighboring cities and towns.

Learn more about this author, Lois Lawrence.
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