With the economy in the tank and people looking for ways to save money yet still enjoy summer activities, its no wonder area libraries are exploding with activity.
A librarian friend from one of the Trumbull Independent Public Libraries recently told me they have experience a surge in people not only applying for library cards, but the books, CDs, DVDs and magazines have been virtually flying off the shelves.
A great way to save hard earned money is to utilize the library's free lending service.
But that's not all. The library has so much more to offer with its summer reading programs, storytimes and movies that it is a shame to pass up all of this free entertainment when the summer days get long and hot.
The great thing about the Trumbull Independent Public Libraries, or TiPL (pronounced ''tipple'' by library employees), is that if you have a library card from one, you can use that card at any one of the six independent libraries in Trumbull County. In addition to the Girard Free Library, members of this consortium include: Bristol Public Library, 1855 Greenville Road, Bristolville; McKinley Memorial Library, 40 N. Main St., Niles; Kinsman Free Public Library, 6420 Church St., Kinsman; Hubbard Public Library, 436 W. Liberty St., Hubbard; and the Newton Falls Public Library, 204 S. Canal St., Newton Falls.
What's more, if you happen to be visiting any one of those six libraries and you check out a book, you can return it to any other of the member libraries. This means if you are visiting cousin Fred in Kinsman and find their library has volume six of the series on how to perform magic tricks (I'm not sure that book exists, so don't go looking for it), you can take it back home to Girard and return it there to save yourself a trip back to Kinsman. How cool is that?
Although my children are grown up and on their own, they still remember with fondness the fun they had during storytime at the library. Not only were they entertained while I browsed the shelves for my own favorites, but it left with them a love of books and of reading.