Public libraries are the most underrated money saving tool in the UK. A single free card unlocks hundreds of pounds worth of books, ebooks, audiobooks, newspapers, internet access and children’s activities, yet many of us walk past our local branch without a second glance. There are more than 3,000 public library branches across the UK, and every one of them will hand you a membership for nothing more than a name and an address. This guide walks through exactly what that card replaces, what libraries cannot do, and how to squeeze the most value from every visit.
What a library card actually gives you
The modern library has quietly grown far beyond shelves of paperbacks. A typical membership now includes:
- Unlimited book borrowing across fiction, non-fiction, children’s titles and reference stock, with renewals that cost nothing when nobody else is waiting.
- Ebooks and audiobooks through apps such as BorrowBox and Libby, delivered straight to your phone or tablet.
- Newspapers and magazines via PressReader, which serves thousands of UK and international titles the day they are printed.
- Free computers, Wi-Fi and study space whenever the doors are open, with printing for a few pence a page.
- Children’s activities from baby rhyme time to the annual Summer Reading Challenge, all free of charge.
- Local and family history resources, including library editions of Ancestry and Findmypast in many branches.
Books first: the saving everyone knows
A new hardback routinely costs £14 to £20 and a paperback £8 to £10, so a household that reads a book a month spends well over £100 a year before a single magazine hits the basket. The library’s answer is simple: reserve the title, collect it, read it, return it, repeat. Nothing is spent and nothing gathers dust on a shelf.
- Reserve new releases. Most councils let you queue for popular titles, and reservations are free in many areas.
- Use inter-library loans. If your branch does not hold a title, staff can usually request it from another library in the network, sometimes for a small fee.
- Ask for stock suggestions. Libraries buy what members ask for, so requesting a book can add it to the shelves for everyone.
Books you will genuinely reread or reference can still be worth owning, and that is the moment to hunt a deal rather than pay full price. Voucher codes from the WHSmith and Amazon dealstore pages regularly shave money off bestsellers, and stacking cashback sites on top brings the price closer to nothing.
Ebooks, audiobooks and magazines without the subscriptions
Subscription creep is real: an audiobook service plus a magazine app can quietly cost £15 to £20 a month, more than £200 a year. A library card covers most of that ground for free.
- BorrowBox and Libby. Most UK libraries run at least one of these apps, which lend ebooks and digital audiobooks to your device with no queues at the counter.
- PressReader. Sign in with your library card and read thousands of newspapers and magazines, from the daily papers to hobby and craft titles, at no cost.
- Reference databases. Many councils add extras such as Encyclopaedia Britannica, language courses or consumer research tools to their digital shelf.
Treat these apps as your first stop rather than a subscription’s free trial. If a title you want is not on the virtual shelf yet, request it, because digital stock is bought in response to demand.
Free internet, printing and a warm desk
If you are between broadband contracts, trimming household bills or working on a job application, the library covers the gap. Branches offer free Wi-Fi and computer sessions, and printing typically costs pennies for a black and white page. Students get free study space with none of the café mark-up, and most libraries have quietly become warm, welcoming spaces where nobody expects you to spend a penny.
Free activities for children and families
Raise a child’s weekly routine on free library sessions and the savings stack up quickly, because soft play and organised classes can cost £5 to £10 a session.
- Baby rhyme time and story time. Free weekly sessions for under-fives run in almost every branch.
- The Summer Reading Challenge. The UK’s annual free reading scheme keeps children reading through the holidays, with stickers, medals and activities along the way.
- Holiday crafts and clubs. Many councils add free craft, coding and building sessions during half terms and the summer break.
Free activities slot neatly into a wider routine of trimming family costs, which our childcare savings guide covers in depth.
Beyond books: the extras most people miss
- Library of Things schemes. A growing number of councils lend items such as sewing machines, cake tins, board games, tools and even thermal imaging cameras, so you can borrow rather than buy for one-off jobs.
- Energy and money advice. Some branches host drop-in advice sessions, and several lend energy monitor plugs so you can spot hungry appliances before the next bill lands.
- Business and careers support. The British Library’s Business and IP Centre network offers free business advice, market research and events, while many branches run job clubs with CV help.
- Local attraction discounts. Some councils give library members money off local museums and attractions during school holidays, so ask at the desk before paying full price for a day out.
Borrowing rather than buying suits a tenanted life particularly well, and our renting savings guide shows how the same logic works across a whole home.
How to join: minutes, and it costs nothing
Joining is deliberately easy. Take proof of name and address, such as a utility bill or bank statement, to the counter, or join online through your council’s website and collect the card on your first visit. Children get their own cards, and some councils offer digital-only memberships that never require a plastic card at all. There are no monthly fees, no minimum borrows and no penalty for keeping the card in a drawer until the day you need it.
Get more out of every visit
- Renew online. Loans renew with a tap in the library app unless someone else has reserved the item.
- Make the app your first stop. Check the digital catalogue before paying for any book, audio or magazine subscription.
- Talk to the staff. Librarians know about services that never make the posters, from job clubs to toy libraries.
- Check the noticeboard and council page. Free events, courses and one-off offers appear there first.
What the library cannot replace
Libraries do have limits. Brand new bestsellers carry waiting lists, workbooks and coffee table books are rarely stocked, and a digital licence can vanish when the council’s subscription lapses. Titles you will annotate, reread or reference constantly are usually still worth owning. The answer is to borrow first, then buy only the books that earn their place on the shelf, ideally at a discount through the Freebies.co.uk dealstore.
The quick wins
- Join your local branch this week; it is free and takes minutes.
- Install BorrowBox or Libby and sign in with your card.
- Cancel or pause one subscription the library covers and keep the difference.
- Swap one paid children’s activity a week for a free library session.
- Reserve, do not buy, the books on your reading list.
- Ask the desk about tool lending, energy monitors and attraction discounts.
- Check PressReader before paying for any newspaper or magazine.
A library card costs nothing, saves a typical household hundreds of pounds a year and pairs well with the rest of a frugal routine, from yellow sticker food discounts to cutting food waste. freebies.co.uk lists new offers and voucher codes every day to keep stacking the savings.
