Free DVD and CD rental from your local library!

[cjchaps]

At my local libraries, you can rent DVDs and CDs for free if you have a library card. They have many classics on DVD, and also some newer DVDs. They also have many CDs(recent and classic) that you can check out, mostly main stream stuff. If you do check them out, be sure to watch out for the late fees, which are around $1 a day for DVDs(which is still better than a video store).

EDIT: YMMV when it comes to rental costs. In the West Chicago Suburbs where I am, the DVD rentals are free.

 

[lsman]

my library charge $1 for video

 

[goob2k]

CD Rental is free at the Lexington, KY Public Libraries.

DVDs are $1 a day I think. Late fees are only 10 cents a day though

So, YMMV

 

[ouzome]

Yes - this is a hot deal for me in Fishers, Indiana. No charge for DVD, CDs or PC Video Games.
The DVD's have been magically appearing in my DVD+R drive lately, I don't know how they get in there!

 

[ralpho]

Originally posted by: cjchaps
At my local libraries, you can rent DVDs and CDs for free if you have a library card. They have many classics on DVD, and also some newer DVDs. They also have many CDs(recent and classic) that you can check out, mostly main stream stuff. If you do check them out, be sure to watch out for the late fees, which are around $1 a day for DVDs(which is still better than a video store).

EDIT: YMMV when it comes to rental costs. In the West Chicago Suburbs where I am, the DVD rentals are free.

Particularly since you mention Chicago, though I'm sure similar options exist elsewhere: a great many of the suburban libraries are hooked up to regional consortia that allow online searching of the considerable resources of all member catalogs and interlibrary borrowing. The one I'm most familiar with doesn't (yet?) have online requests, but once you call in or drop off your list to your local library, they have a service that makes the rounds so the items are usually available at your home library within a day or two. If you go to your town's library website, it will most likely point you to all the available possibilities.

Also, most Chicago suburban library cardholders can also get a card to the Chicago Public Library, which also offers CDs and DVDs, plus access to some excellent online research tools (e.g., ProQuest).

 

[Keltron]

you can rent DVDs and videos from any public library i have been to. I thought this was a common knowledge

 

[Winchester]

I have the same thing at all the libraries I have been to. I have never seen PC games though.

 

[SecondBest]

Here in Columbus, OH, our public library has an incredible selection of CDs and DVDs. Anything from John Wayne to Gummo.

$1 per day late fees on media, but you can renew online. 7 days for DVDs, 28 days for CDs. You can also search and reserve items online, with the ability to transport them to the branch you wanna pick them up from. My tax dollars finally put to good use.

EDIT: fixed href link.

 

[cmsanto]

Here in Princeton NJ, DVD's and VHS tapes are $1 per day, with the exception of biographies and non-feature film movies, those are $1 per week. Late charges are $1 per day. That is the only way funding for the collection can be maintained.
I should add that the DVD collection has an especially impressive Criterion collection as well as many foreign titles that you may not find in your local video store.
The library usually gets most of the newer releases about 3 months after they come out, so as not to compete with the local video stores.

As for other av materials, the library has an impressive selection of pc games older than a year, such as all the Jedi Knight games, various The SIMS games, SIMCITY games, Medieval Total War and many other strategy games.

Most of the recent popular cd titles are also available, everybody from Springsteen to Radiohead. As I remember there is no Rap in the collection and little house/techno but there is a fair amount of the critically acclaimed older underground, with releases from Joy Division, Pere Ubu, Wire, Sonic Youth, and others.
Jazz and classical music are very well represented in the cd collection.

Books on tape are also plentiful.

 

[Tung]

nice free rental

 

[Twingo]

Damn, I might need to get an actual library card now ... haven't had one since I was a kid.

 

[spliffstar69]

If your paying taxes your paying for it.
In my area portion of Tax dollars goes to the library's

 

[Startide Rising]

More and more libraries also offer free wireless 802.11b internet to go with their free internet wired terminals. Some of the libraries even allow/encourage use of the internet services from their parking lots such as the ones over here in Washington State (kitsap peninsula and King County).

The King County Library (www.kcls.org which includes Redmond) System even has free RIO player rentals for one month at a time. That is so you can borrow free audio ebooks to listen to if you don't feel like turning pages of a conventional library book.

 

[Dsorgnzd]

If you do borrow DVDs and CDs from the library, please treat them well. My wife works at the library, and some of the DVDs come back looking like somebody let their kids play frisbee with them. And of course, they'll swear they did nothing to damage the disc, and the library has to replace it (using $ they could have spent buying another title). The library is definitely a "hot deal" for DVDs, CDs, books on tape, videos, etc. but only if people take decent care of the media.

 

[weepul]

my city library charges money for videos, but my county library bout 20mins away is free. selections is usually poor tho.

//krunk (^_^x)

 

[percboy]

Originally posted by: Keltron
you can rent DVDs and videos from any public library i have been to. I thought this was a common knowledge

Yeah really.. just wondering the response if a jr. member posted this.
BTW, I think Blockbuster rents DVDs also, I believe they charge a fee

 

[ValsalvaYourHeartOut]

Originally posted by: cjchaps
At my local libraries, you can rent DVDs and CDs for free if you have a library card. They have many classics on DVD, and also some newer DVDs. They also have many CDs(recent and classic) that you can check out, mostly main stream stuff. If you do check them out, be sure to watch out for the late fees, which are around $1 a day for DVDs(which is still better than a video store).

EDIT: YMMV when it comes to rental costs. In the West Chicago Suburbs where I am, the DVD rentals are free.

There's also free air if you walk outside and breathe.

Valsalva

 

[hawkeye81x]

Wow... I thought internet junkies knew something about the library but I guess people become more indoors because of the internet.

Don't forget those things called books that can be borrowed for free!

 

[sracer52]

in south carolina, you can on online and pick your dvd have it sent to your nearest branch, then they will email you to pick up

 

[Rumpltzer]

Wow... I thought internet junkies knew something about the library but I guess people become more indoors because of the internet.

Don't forget those things called books that can be borrowed for free!

Yeah, I was wondering if anyone was gonna mention all those books they seem to have in the libraries!

BTW, the libraries down here in Santa Barbara are indoors. Cool, huh?

 

[fr]

They have WiFi and let you borrow video games at the library??

 

[trinitroDynamics]

Yeah some libraries are great. My local county library system is outstanding! Check this, all of the county libraries are linked together, and you can Telnet in, and if they do not have the book (CD, DVD) available, you can simply reserve it. You can also reserve the book at your local area library and they will ship it to your library from another. Talk about a huge library system, it's like having 10 different libraries. Also in my area the individual city library books are available also, however you have to request these books, and delivery does take some time.

My library also has a feature where you can request a book. For example, my library checks (nationally linked libraries) for the requested book. I have gotten books and tapes from as far as Florida, Arizona, New York. I'm out west. There have been only a few books I have not been able to find. I can get most any book.

My library system also has a buttload of CD-ROM software, and a few games, a lot of good music CD's, videos, DVD's (only charge is overdue fees). And of course computer and printer access local T-1 (or T-3) line, I believe. Also libraries have government access as well. For technical and other miscellaneous databases and scientific papers, doing your taxes, state forms, etc. Also lots of children's activities, stories, crafts, projects, etc.

Nice!

Check out your city and county libraries.

 

[russw]

Originally posted by: Keltron
you can rent DVDs and videos from any public library i have been to. I thought this was a common knowledge

yep... no deal here. But at least the thread topic is clear
...russ

 

[Ness]

well, still better than all the paypal scam threads

Selection is usually limited in most libraries, but yeah, it's nice to get free entertainment.

 

[Tokar]

the problem with my local library system (which im sure is standard with all libraries) is the 7day rental period for DVDs (its a positive and a negative...positive in that one get s a nice long length for rental...negative in that one waiting to rent it has to wait up to 7 days for the previous renter to return it), as well as just 1 copy of each DVD (as opposed to like 2 or more that blockbuster, or hollywood video or west coast video usually has)