I love going to Barnes & Noble.  It's a great feeling to walk up and down the aisles of books, pick up a few that look appealing, settle into a chair, and read for a while.  The only problem is that I can't stay there all day and after I get really interested in a book, I end up shelling out the dough to take it home so I can finish it.  And jeez, these days books can cost up to $40! Not great news in this economy, eh?  E-books help cut down the per book cost, but you have to make a pretty hefty up-front investment in otder to acheive those savings.  Plus, many still cannot adjust to the idea of reading from a screen.

But what if I told you that there was a place that you could go, pick out as many books as you like, and take them home for free? Guess what?  It's not a fictional place.  It's called the LIBRARY.

My guess is that you haven't been there since you wrote your last term paper or studied for that last collegiate exam.  And odds are, the last time you saw the inside of your public library, you were attending story hour.  I know that when I was young I loved checking out every Babysitters Club and Sweet Valley High book that they had to offer.  I even remember my father taking me for my first library card when I was 10.  But the library is not just for kids!

Yesterday I decided to renew my love for the Bucks County Public Library system.  I headed over to the Lower Makefield branch, which is located on Edgewood Road.  I waited in line behind an adorable 5 year old in a John Deere hat, and I got myself a brand new library card.  This time around, they make them for your key ring, just like Blockbuster or the supermarket.  Then I started browsing.

I'm not going to lie, they don't have every single title that you will find on amazon.com.  But I was impressed with their selection.  In fiction, I lean towards the David Baldacci/ Robert Ludlum thrillers, and there were plenty of those to read.  But I chose this time to step outside of my comfort zone.  I chose Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen, which I am sure I was supposed to have read in high school at some point.  I also chose Bad Dogs Have More Fun by John Grogan, the author of Marley and Me (and PA local).  In non-fiction, I tend toward the the business and graphic design genres.  I was impressed at how many up-to-date books they had in both genres.   They had books on everything form blogging to photoshop, and they were all printed in the last few years.  I went with 3 titles:  Google Speaks, Public Relations for Dummies and Secrets of Closing Sales.  I headed up to the front desk and was quickly checked out. 

The Bucks County Public Library is tech savvy too! They have a wide array of DVDs, music CDs and books on CD to choose from.  If you are facing a long commute it may not be a bad idea to pop one of those bad boys in to make the trip seem shorter.  One step further, you can even download selected titles in e-book and audio book form from their website!  You can even check out the online book clubs they have to offer there.

Young and old, there are lots of events hosted at the library as well.  Check out their calendar– they have everything from Book Clubs, to story time, Microsoft classes.

So whether it's one of the Bucks County Free Libraries or the local college libraries, now is the time to take advantage of free reading education that is available to you.  You might even enjoy yourself.

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