Albert Einstein said, “The only thing you absolutely have to know is the location of the library.”
And that’s still true, because for every stage of your life, Genesee District Library has the information you need and the entertainment you want, and it’s all free with your library card.
Let’s start at the beginning. A multitude of materials on pregnancy and childbirth can offer an expectant parent important information and peace of mind. Once the baby is born, caregivers can bring their toddlers to any one of a dozen storytime sessions and take advantage of programs on parenting and books on child discipline. Families on a budget can entertain their kids with hundreds of fun and free educational programs featuring STEM, music, magic, coding, 3D printing, art and science.
As children grow, their interests change quickly. This week it’s “Blues Clues.” Next week? Dinosaurs. Don’t break the bank on a short-lived passion; simply head to the library to load up on materials in your child’s current favorite genre.
In addition to knowing the location of your local branch, it is also worth your while to know the URL of the GDL website so you can access the millions (yes, millions) of free digital items and databases. Bookmark thegdl.org and make it your first stop for information and entertainment.
When your kids start school, they can access homework help on the GDL website. And when they’re ready for driver’s training, they can take practice tests on Driver Education Michigan.
When it’s time to apply to college, visit College Admissions Test Preparation to practice ACT and SAT tests. When it’s time to cast that first vote, go to Vote411 for non-partisan voter information before heading to the polls. Job seekers? Check out Career Cruising, and when you land that job and are ready to invest your money, check out Morningstar Investment Research Center or Value Line.
When you finally book that trip to Europe, check out Mango Languages, a learning tool that offers instruction in more than 70 languages, including courses for people who are learning English as a second language. Read hundreds of recipes for food from all over the world — popup ad-free — by visiting AtoZ Food America and AtoZ World Food. When you’re ready to cook all that good food but your oven breaks, check out Consumer Reports for unbiased product testing and ratings before purchasing a new one.
Now let’s talk numbers. Almost every type of service you’re paying for (Literati, Scribd, Audible, Babbel, Hulu, Netflix) can be had at the library for free. With your GDL library card, check out Hoopla, giving you access to over 1,900,000 movies, television, eBooks, audiobooks, music albums, comics and graphic novels. Also available are Libby and Overdrive, which give you access to over 100,000 magazines, eBooks and audiobooks. Music lovers will enjoy Freegal, giving library card holders access to over 18,000,000 songs in over 200 genres to stream or download and keep.
In addition to over 20 million digital items, a GDL library card offers access to over 575,000 physical items, such as books, DVDs, CDs, magazines and video games. And better yet, that same library card gives you access to the Michigan eLibrary Catalogue, MeLCat, and lets you borrow items from libraries all over Michigan.
The Genesee District Library card is the best deal in town! If you don’t have a card, go get one now!
In celebration of National Library Card Signup Month, apply for a library card between September 1-30 and receive a free GDL cloth tote bag. Genesee District Library has 19 branches to serve you. Find yours at thegdl.org/locations
