Izzy Rivera reads at least one book every week, but buying them new isn't in her budget.As she saves up for law school, some expenses don't make the cut."Say I'm buying a few a month," she said, "it just isn't realistic."That's why Rivera has recently been leaning more on local libraries near her home in Topeka, Kan., checking out both physical books and digital copies on the Libby app.
(Some of her recent reads: Sour Cherry by Natalia Theodoridou, Spoilt Creatures by Amy Twigg and Plastic Inc.by Beth Gardiner.) Rivera also went to her library's used book sale last month, where she picked up 15 books for about $20.The library's money-saving potential doesn't end there for her.
Rivera also watches movies on the streaming app Kanopy, reads the New York Times at no cost and often passes the time at a local branch."It's somewhere I can go where I'm not expected to spend money," she said."If I were to go to a coffee shop just to get out and do something, the expectation would be to buy a coffee, even though I probably didn't want a coffee."It is something of a truism in the library world that, when economic conditions worsen, people use libraries more.
Patrons and librarians across the U.S.tell NPR they're seeing that pan out now.Prices for food and other everyday items continue to rise in part because of the war with Iran, and affordability was a top concern among voters heading into the midterm elections.
According to a Pew Research Center survey released in mid-October, 44% of Americans say they've struggled in the past year to afford at least one basic necessity, such as medical care or their rent or mortgage payment.Seventy percent of adults also said they've cut back on "extras," such as subscriptions to streaming services.Data shared with NPR by several of the largest public library systems in the U.S.
show recent upticks in cardholder membership, circulation and event attendance.Librarians say part of that can be attributed to the rising cost of living — ...