The Library...

The predecessor to the internet, Google and pretty much any other search engine out there, today's libraries still offer a wealth of information for the dwindling number of denizens of the town, city, municipality or borough they serve, albeit obtaining said information can be quite the meticulous task. Remember the Card Catalog? Thank God for Google.

Outside of the 3-4 books that I've borrowed from the Bergenfield Public Library last year, I've found that the library can serve in alternate ways, namely...it can populate my iPod Playlist! I went to the library with Maia last week and to my surprise, Bergenfield's Public Library had quite an extensive collection of CD's! Not only can I borrow up to 50 items (books, CD's), but I could easily burn or "rip" these CD's onto iTunes, providing the CD doesn't have some sort of built-in, anti-ripping software.

And because you are a citizen of your town and simply by signing up for a library card, it's all FREE! And for once in my life, I'm getting FREE MUSIC LEGALLY!

In the words of Peter Griffin, "Freakin' Sweet!"

So the past couple of times I went to the library, I was able to pick up those albums that I've always wanted, but couldn't necessarily warrant purchase, or past CD's I've had that got scratched or lost.

Here's a brief list of what I picked up:

• Beastie Boys - Solid Gold Hits
• The Shins - Chutes Too Narrow
• Justin Timberlake - Futuresex/Lovesounds
• Dave Matthews Band - Under the Table and Dreaming
• The Killers - Hot Fuss
• Motion City Soundtrack - Commit This to Memory
• Panic! At the Disco - A Fever You Can't Sweat Out
• Matisyahu - Youth
• Eminem - Curtain Call
• Jason Mraz - Mr. A-Z
• Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare
• Franz Ferdinand - Self-Titled
• Kelly Clarkson - Breakaway
• jLo - On the 6
• Five for Fighting - The Battle for Everything
  

Pretty damn good list. Even if jLo and Kelly Clarkson are on it. Not to mention I picked up some obscure stuff like a collection of Pure Funk music that's pretty awesome.

Thus concludes this public service announcement -
Patronize your local libraries. They have good, free stuff.