75 Ways to Use Your Local Library 

Written by Paul Wellington, Social Media Specialist, Downtown Main Library 

It’s National Library Week, and what better to celebrate than by using your Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library! From materials to resources to events, we’ve compiled a list of 75 ways you can use the Library. Explore this website or visit your favorite location to support CHPL today!  

1. Sign up for a library card. 
2. Visit local attractions for free with a Discovery Pass. 
3. Follow the Library on social media. 
4. Use a Library computer. 
5. Get creative at a MakerSpace location. 
6. Book a meeting or study room. 
7. Print for free (up to $5 per day). 
8. Bring kids to storytime. 
9. Get kids and teens excited to participate in Summer Reading. 
10. Complete the Library Visit Challenge. 
11. Join a book club. 
12. Peer at the night sky by reserving a telescope. 
13. Volunteer at a branch. 
14. Shop for library swag. 
15. Visit the Friends of the Library Used Book Warehouse. 
16. Donate to The Library Foundation. 
17. Send a fax for free. 
18. Discover college and career resources. 
19. Attend an Author Talks event. 
20. Catch a Sunday on the Stairs musical performance. 
21. Get nonprofit grants assistance. 
22. Explore vintage photos in the Digital Library. 
23. Read digital materials with Libby, Hoopla, and other apps. 
24. Use the CHPL app. 
25. Bring K-8 students to the Library for homework help. 
26. Get a personalized reading selection with Book Hookup. 
27. Listen to a Library podcast. 
28. Receive job help. 
29. Sign up for or renew a passport. 
30. Explore curated booklists for kids, teens, and adults. 
31. Watch digital films with Kanopy. 
32. Explore local music history with the Social Stairs. 
33. Learn new skills with LinkedIn Learning. 
34. Ask a Librarian for personalized service. 
35. Explore the history of your house. 
36. Reserve materials from across Ohio with SearchOhio & OhioLINK. 
37. Discover local history. 
38. Dive into your family tree with Ancestry at any CHPL location. 
39. Check out the 1848 Cincinnati Panorama in-person or online. 
40. Explore art at the Main Library. 
41. Discover in-person exhibits at the Main Library. 
42. Reserve a mobile hotspot. 
43. Attend an America 250 event. 
44. Use free Wi-Fi. 
45. Have books delivered to your school classroom with Teacher Collections. 
46. Eat an afterschool meal or snack (kids and teens only). 
47. Checkout a book on display. 
48. Explore online exhibits. 
49. Register to vote at any CHPL location. 
50. Get important information with the Community Resource Guide. 
51. Relax in the Main Library Reading Garden or another outdoor library space. 
52. Return materials without paying late fines. 
53. Sign up for a book club card. 
54. Place a hold on new and upcoming materials. 
55. Stay up to date on building projects with the Facility Master Plan. 
56. Contact the Library through chat, email, or phone. 
57. Use the Coworking Space at the Main Library. 
58. Explore historic maps at the Main Library and online. 
59. Participate in the Winter Checkout Challenge. 
60. Explore rare materials in the Cincinnati Room. 
61. Learn a new language with Transparent Language. 
62. Stream music on Freegal. 
63. Log in to the New York Times with your library card. 
64. Browse current and archived issues of Cincinnati Enquirer. 
65. Sign up for Hot Authors. 
66. Attend the annual Mary S. Stern Lecture series. 
67. Sharpen your writing skills at a Writer-in-Residence workshop. 
68. Visit a seed library. 
69. Read the Library’s blog. 
70. Sign up for Ohio Imagination Library. 
71. Take in oral histories at the Story Center. 
72. Bring kids to a play space. 
73. Get tech assistance. 
74. Visit an Anderson Township Library Association book sale. 
75. Borrow millions of books for free!