It’s rough out there with inflation and cost of living; it feels like everything is more expensive, and you get less and less for your money.  But you know what is always free, and will save you hella money on things you may already be paying for? 

Your public library card.

Here's a list of the fabulous things you can access with your SF library card:

  • NYT Digital All Access

  • Stream Movies on Kanopy  (30,000 titles) 

  • Check out LPs, DVDs, and Blu-rays

  • Discover & Go

    • Get free museum and attraction passes! 

    • Cal Academy, Exploratorium, Alcatraz and more!

  • Language Learning

    • Mango Languages

    • Rosetta Stone

  • Genealogy/Family History

  • Career Skills

    • Udemy

    • LinkedIn Learning

  • Magazines

    • Top magazines in the reading room are also available digitally:

      • People (available on Flipster)

      • The New Yorker (available on Flipster)

      • The Economist (available on PressReader)

      • Newsweek (available through ProQuest, but not in a replica format like Flipster or PressReader offers--it's text only)

      • Us Weekly (available on Flipster)

      • New York magazine (available on PressReader)

      • National Geographic (available on Flipster)

      • Rolling Stone (available on Flipster)

      • Wired (available on Flipster)

  • Free WiFi

  • Free printing

  • Bay Beats

    • Free local music streaming service

    • Stream local music and see where the artists featured are playing

  • Exhibits

    • Did you know the library hosts exhibits that focus on SF history and share secret stories of SF history?

  • DigiLab

  • Books/Audiobooks

    • Hoopla — no holds, no waits https://www.hoopladigital.com/

    • Libby: https://libbyapp.com/library/sfpl

    • Boundless

    • Book Clubs

      • Book clubs at every branch — find a group of people who want to chat about books with you

      • Citywide book club — On The Same Page and One City One Book (the 20th book will be announced this fall!)

      • Biblioboutique — find your next favorite read

  • Advisers Give Back: Meet one-on-one with a Certified Financial Planner™

  • The Bridge at Main: literacy and learning center featuring intergenerational tech programs and support

  • Music studio (teens only in The Mix)

All you need is a state ID, and you can visit any library branch to get your library card.

It only takes a few minutes; you can even fill out the short application online beforehand if you want to speed up the process.

Visit:  https://sfpl.org/welcome-new-cardholders

There are 27 public libraries just in San Francisco. Right now, chances are you are within a couple of blocks of your dream…

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