Photo courtesy of Aiya Rabah
Sometimes when I walk into a Barnes & Noble I want to scream. These days, it seems like every brand new book is some kind of special edition with sprayed edges or a bonus chapter in the back. While these fun perks are probably exciting for collectors, the average person should not have to pay anywhere close to thirty dollars for a book. The real beauty of a book is not how it looks, it’s what’s on the inside that counts, as cliche as that seems. Today I am going to share some hacks for reading books for free or as close to free as is humanly possible.
- Using the library. While this may seem obvious, it is worth repeating. Local libraries typically stock trendy new releases, have tons of copies of popular books, and even have apps that make it easy to put books on hold. You can even put books on hold before they’re out, which is how I was able to read the new Emily Henry book the second it came out without paying a cent. Libraries also host book sales which are a great way to find books for usually less than five dollars each. I’ve found first editions of Donna Tartt books, the Barnes & Noble Classics series, and even some signed books. Your library card also allows you to access ebooks and audiobooks through apps such as Libby, Ebsco, and Hoopla. If you dorm at Rider, you are eligible for a Mercer County Library Card. Rider also has an app called Palace that lets students borrow ebooks and audiobooks!
- Books Unbanned Cards. There are several libraries across the country that will give any US resident under a certain age (including college students) a digital library card. The Boston Public Library just expanded the offered Books Unbanned catalog to include their entire digital library.
- Little Free Libraries. Little Free Libraries are boxes in public places that are meant to house books that anyone can take. LFLs are completely free and stocked by a community. I have found really cool books in LFLs and so I always make sure to stop and browse every time I pass one. Rider has several spaces for swapping books including outside of the CDI, next to the ping pong table in the SRC, the first floor lobby of the library and on the third floor of Fine Arts. Events on campus such as the Care Fair or Campus Sustainability Day typically have a table dedicated to swapping books.
- Databases. The databases I am referring to are sites like LibriVox and Project Gutenberg that allow you to read books that are in the public domain, meaning that the copyright on them has expired. So, if you want to read the audiobook of The Great Gatsby, or the full text of The Illiad, these sites have got you covered. LibriVox audiobooks are also available on Spotify. I use these websites a lot for my classes. However, I will warn that because these sites are volunteer-run, the audiobooks can tend to be a little rough around the edges. This does not bother me personally, but it’s worth keeping in mind that regular people are taking time out of their day to record these audiobooks for public enjoyment.
I hope these tips will inspire you to explore your options for finding books. After all, it’s not really autumn if I’m not wandering around libraries and used bookstores.
Happy Reading,
Aiya