Public Library Near Me

“A book is a dream that you hold in your hand.” – Neil Gaiman

Are you looking for a world to escape to or maybe finding something interesting to learn about? Well, your public library is the place to go to. All you need to do is get your library card ready and you are set to start your reading adventure.

If you look at the Public Library Near Me Map you will find all of the public libraries in your area. Just click on a location and you will get the library’s name, address and phone number. You will also be able to find a link to the library’s website and even reviews from other guests. After you are done checking out the map you can keep reading to learn more about services that you can get at public libraries and check out some of the most interesting public libraries in the country.

Public Library Near Me – Find it on the Map

Public Library Near Me – Public Library Trivia

Public Library Services

At public libraries, you can find a wide range of services. The largest one of course is book borrowing. In addition to that, you can often find meeting space, classes and skill training, computer access and research help.

Book borrowing is the most common thing that people know libraries for. This is also what libraries started out as. Most libraries have several thousand books on a wide range of both fiction and non-fiction topics. You also have book and magazines that you can borrow for all ages around; however, in recent years you have also been able to borrow electronic versions of books. So, if you have a digital device that allows you to read electronic books, you can often borrow a digital license for that book to read on your electronic device. After awhile, the license expires and returns to the library, but still, it is a nice new feature that libraries offer. In addition to books, most libraries also allow you to borrow audio books, music CDs and even movies. All for free. You just need to have some kind of proof that you live in the district the library is operating in. Some libraries to charge a fee for the library card, but it is uncommon.

In addition to borrowing items, libraries often offer meeting spaces that can be used for studying and holding small meetings. Sure, they have tables up front, but the small little meeting rooms often have wifi capability, white or black boards and are walled off so you can speak a little louder. They are great for meetings and often free for most uses. So the next time you have a meeting you want to have, think about your local library.

Alright, there are a wide range of courses that your library will often have. For large centers that have a range of immigrants and newcomers, you will usually find language classes for English, but you can also often find language classes for a wide range of languages you want to learn. In addition, they normally have free computer skills classes for most office programs. You can also find a range of skills development classes, book clubs and a wide range of other things that you can go to your library to learn for free or a small fee. They are definitely worth checking out.

Did your computer break down and you have a paper to write? Don’t worry, the library is here to help you out. Since the 1990s it has become increasingly common to find libraries to have computers for general internet access and even for just the use of a good word processor. So, if you need to type up your essay, they should be able to help you out. Also, if you need help for your research, librarians are there for you. They have special training in helping you find resources to assist you in your research. Just be sure not to know what you are looking for and have a topic in mind. Though, if you don’t have a specific one, they might be able to give you ideas.

Overall, your library has a range of resources. So, after you search Public Library Near Me, see what else the library has beyond just simple book borrowing.

Public Library Near Me – Public Library Facts

Great American Libraries

Alright, there are a lot of cool libraries out there, but here are some that will really blow you away. These are in no way in order of best to worst, they are all just simply amazing.

1. George Peabody Library, Baltimore, Maryland

As the name suggests, this library was built as a gift by George Peabody. It was built in the 19th century as a place for all to visit and consult free of charge. With 5 stories of cast iron balconies and a large open skylight, the place is gorgeous to look at. In addition, it has got a massive collection of over 300,000 books on all topics. So, if you are interested in visiting it, it is nice and close to the Washington Monument, so it is great for just a tourist trip.

2. Boston Public Library, Boston Massachusetts

The Boston Public Library was also founded in the 19th century. It got started by its first benefactor, Joshua Bates who donated a large amount of money with two main conditions. First, the library would be an “ornament” in the city, which means it has to be rather attractive. The second was that the library would always be free of cost for those to use. Thanks to his generosity, the Boston Public Library was founded and in honor of him, has the Bates Hall, which is truly gorgeous. The Boston Library has since become the second largest library in the United States, with a collection of over 23 million books. Truly, you can find anything here and if it comes up on your Public Libraries Near Me.

3. Central Library in Seattle, Washington

While not as old as other libraries, the Central Library in Seattle is something else. The library was opened in 2004 and is revolutionary. The library is 11 stories tall, made of glass and steel, with large bright and open spaces. It is designed to allow access to both book and other forms of media. With a capacity of almost 1.5 million books and over 400 computers for public use, it is truly available for everyone to find whatever information they are looking for.

4. New York Public Library

The New York Public Library, with its iconic entrance, as seen in the movie Ghostbusters, is one of the most famous libraries in the world. It also is home to the third largest book collection in the world, first in the United States, with over 53 million volumes. Like many of the first libraries, it was started in the 19th century by a donation made by John Jacob Astor in his will. After he passed away, $400,000 (a little over $11 million today) was donated to the creation of a library. Initially the library was for reference only, you couldn’t borrow from the collection, but over time the library grew and merged with other creations to form what is today the New York Public Library that has 83 different branches and is free for all to use. There is even a copy of a Gutenberg Bible available for viewing in one of the branches.