We still have public libraries. They usually have a pretty sizable collection

>We still have public libraries. They usually have a pretty sizable collection

The public libraries in major cities like the New York Public Library have sizable collections. The smaller libraries in the outer suburbs have a much smaller selection. Yes, there's also inter-library loan system for the suburbs to pull from the big city library but there are restrictions such as only having 3 items at a time.

The neighborhood public libraries are wonderful resources but there can be limitations (quantity of titles) that prevent it from being a sustainable substitute for streaming for someone that wants to watch ~2 hours of content every day. My friend tried the public library and it was only a temporary reprieve from the ads on streaming platforms. The library simply didn't have enough content for her to watch.

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nradov 3 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

That sizable collection is often scratched so you watch half the movie and then it skips or fails completely. Just like what used to happen constantly with DVDs from Netflix.

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brushfoot 3 hours ago | parent | next [-]

Not in my experience. My library's DVDs and Blu-rays work great. I check one out every week or two.

I'd encourage anyone reading to go to your local library if you haven't been in a while. Check out a book. See if they have a makerspace. Do some remote work there. They're wonderful places. They become more and more important with every passing year.

	▲	dingaling 2 hours ago \| parent [-]
		> Check out a book Not many of those left in my local libraries. They downsized to popular fiction and a rack of magazines to introduce more sofas and space for charity cake stalls. And "mindful colouring-in" if you're around for the 4.5 days of the week that they're open. Libraries threw away the one thing that made them unique, curated knowledge, in order to compete with Starbucks as a "third space".

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skyyler 3 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

The libraries near me have disc resurfacing machines. I've never had an issue playing a DVD or CD from the library.

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doikor 3 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Here you tell them that it was scratched/failed to play properly and it gets resurfaced or replaced (if still available from vendors).

In general library stuff is of relatively high quality and they have budgets for taking care of the collection.

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dh2022 2 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

Tell me you never borrowed movies from a library without telling me you never borrowed movies from a library.

	▲	nradov 2 hours ago \| parent [-]
		I have borrowed movies from local libraries. It's hit or miss.