Who needs Amazon or Netflix?

I've been falling in love with my local library. In a time where so many are wrestling with what it means to live simply, share more, buy less, consume less, etc. the public library is staring at us and waiting for us to join the party.

The fact is, most books only deserve to be read once anyway, right? Here in San Francisco, I can go online and request just about any book I can think of. The only books I might want to read that might not be in the City library system are Christian theology books, but really, I've read enough or those already. I go online and have the books sent to the branch down the street from our place, and then I get an email when they have been delivered and are ready for pick up. I even get an email when they are almost due so I don't turn them back late. Amazing...

There is also a decent selection of movies that work the same way. Recently the top of our entertainment center had DVD's of Romero, City of God and The Killing Fields. Last night I requested some romantic comedies for Andrea. I also had some CD's sent over (James Brown, Aretha Franklin and Marvin Gaye) that will be ready for pick up shortly.

AND...drumroll please...

I don't have to pay for a cup of coffee to set up an office anymore. The library in the Mission District has free wireless with long tables and outlets to plug in for power. Brilliant...I can even broaden my musical tastes from the CD section while I answer my emails and work on some projects on my trust iBook. Sometimes you even get to work next to some homeless guys reading novels. Rock on, public libraries.