The Library!–The greatest overlooked tool for minimalists and everybody else

The library.  Something so common, you don’t even think about it. Sure it has some books and stuff, but is it really that great? Why, yes it is!

First things first, the library is cheap. Notice I didn’t say free. If you are anything like me, you will (at some point or another) acquire the dreaded late fees. It’s ok, it happens to basically everybody at some point (me more than others). In addition, some libraries have a small fee to get a library card (basically paying for the plastic the card is made out of). The libraries in my city have a 25 cent fee for an interlibrary loan. But that all said and done, it’s not much.

Let’s take a look at my library receipts. I checked out two books, one was a book with many high-quality, color, glossy photographs. Think retail for at least $20.00. The other book is a popular novel in a paperback edition. According to the price sticker on the back of the book, it retails for $16.00. By going to the library, I saved $36.00  and won’t have the actual book weighing me down after I finish reading them.

I’ll go into further detail on how much money you can save by going to the library. This year (starting in January) I have saved $1,347.00! And that doesn’t include any books I checked out more than once! In contrast, I have only spent around $15.00 in late fees. Going to the library, in one calendar year, has saved me thousands of dollars. And I don’t just check-out books! I often check-out audiobooks, movies, and CDs, along with way too many comics and manga (which by themselves cost a small fortune).

That’s right, the library has more than just books! I often listen to the latest albums in my car, checked-out from my local library. Because I’m dyslexic, I absolutely love listening to audiobooks. I pop in an audiobook to my CD player and start cooking, once again checked-out from the local library. Want to watch that movie that came out a few months ago? Once again, the library comes to the rescue. Netflix too expensive or doesn’t have the series you want to watch? You’d be surprised how many libraries pick up nearly every TV series ever filmed. Supernatural? Got it. All 200 seasons of Law and Order? Also ready for pick-up.

The next great thing about libraries is that if you request something, they often pull strings to get it. See, libraries are funded by taxes, meaning if the people want a book, the people will get the book. I have on several occasions requested a book (or something else) that the library did not have. One library (for a smaller town) actually bought the book for me. Another (for a bigger city) borrowed it from a library that did. You might have to wait a while, but it is much cheaper than actually buying the book.

Libraries also have computers, wifi, e-libraries, and databases! Computers and wifi are self-explanatory (I would hope). Many, but not all, have e-libraries. This is a collection of books that you can read on your computer or tablet, usually on the app called Overdrive. Some of these libraries have audiobook and movies in addition to ebooks, while some only ebooks. Still a great resource!

What can I say about databases? Either you use them or you don’t. If you are a college student or advanced high school student, they are amazing! Buying a subscription to an academic journal can be in the upwards of $500.00! And that’s just one source (and the teachers stress that you must have multiple sources). Most library databases have access to millions of academic papers, and subscriptions to most popular scientific/academic journals. If you need it, the databases are a great tool. If not, it’s still kind of cool to know you have that option.

All that being said, why are you still here reading this article? Go take your vacation AT THE LIBRARY! (And yes, that is an Avatar: the Last Airbender reference. A series I checked-out from my library and absolutely love.)

The First Haul

Well, it’s about time.

Apparently, this happened some time ago, but I recently learned about it. I took two large tubs full of things I was not sure I wanted, and placed it in my family’s garage. After not taking anything from the tubs for three months, I felt ready to drop my things of at a local thrift shop.

I went downstairs to do just that, only to find out that my mom had already made the trip a week ago. Personally, I find it a relief that I don’t have to drop it off myself. Part of me, deep, deep down, still does not want to get rid of my things. I still think “What if I regret this?”

For me, it has been surprisingly easy to get rid of some things, namely clothes, yet very hard for me to get rid of others. For some reason, it was difficult for me to get rid of some of my jewlery, despite the fact that I only wear jewelry once every blue moon or so. The other surprising thing for me was my makeup. Let’s just say that I get can put on my makeup in less than 3 minutes, that is if I choose to wear makeup that day. Something that is, again, a rarity.

So why then, was it so easy for me to get rid of some of my things, and not others? For now, I don’t have the answers.

I have already started the pile for next haul. This time, I am less apprehensive, but still a little nervous. Many “bigger” items are in this pile. Do I really play my D.S. enough to justify having it? Some of the clothes that I held on to the first purge of the wardrobe, etc.

But I have began to attack the “biggest” amount of things I have: books. I have so many books. I have about 30 that I have not yet read yet, and many that I have read over and over. Now that I own a Kindle, I have tried to get more ebooks, but there is just something (slightly) magical about having a paperback in your hand. (Even more ironically, I like reading on my Kindle more than a paperback because I’m dyslexic and can have my Kindle read the books to me.)

I am one of those weird people who love rereading books. Many of the books on my shelf are damaged and well worn. For the most part, they are shared between my sibling and I, so I feel slightly less guilty. But I still own so many book that my bookshelf is collapsing under the weight.  For my goal of being able to live out of suitcases (Minimalist Goal: Living out of a Suitcase) books will be the hardest to narrow down.

Now I face packing for college (again), I am less afraid and more ready. As David Platt once said, “The lesson I learned is that the war against materialism in our culture is just that: a war.”