by Vivian Walker

Created on: May 13, 2007   Last Updated: May 16, 2007

With so much information online, people tend to forget that as taxpayers within a community, they already own a wide range of resources at their public library. Libraries aren't just warehouses of dusty books. Most libraries are working hard to make sure the services they provide cater to the recreational and educational needs of the community.

Whether you want to learn a new skill, research information for a business idea, or further your formal education, the services and products at your public library have what you need.

Some things you might not have considered:

-those people sitting at the Reference Desk are there to serve you. If you need help with an essay or don't know how to access some of the library's electronic products, it's their job to show you how. Don't be worried that your problem is too big or too small. You aren't bothering them. They love challenges.

-if your library doesn't have a book that you need, ask how you can get it through Interlibrary Loan. (ILL) Libraries have access to the holdings of hundreds of other libraries, and consortiums exist so they can share their books. If you ask for something from ILL, the library will do all the work, including requesting the item and getting it shipped. (usually reference books are excluded from ILL) This service is free, although some libraries might request a small fee to help cover the cost of shipping. This can save you hundreds of dollars in book costs.

-although your public library might only have subscriptions to fewer than 100 magazines and journals, they often have subscriptions to online databases with thousands of titles. If you find an obscure article in a bibliography that sounds perfect for your research, ask the reference librarians how you can search the database and get a full text copy of that article.

-if you can't afford Internet or even a computer, most public libraries have banks of computers with wordprocessing and internet software. If you are going to need a computer for a big project, there are often sign up lists that will allow you to block off time.

Remember, library employees might look imposing sitting behind a desk, but most of them are eager to help. They have been trained to do research and to show others how to use the resources as well.

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