Do not forget about the local library for games

[RCBH928]

I really haven't been playing many games lately and have been focusing on other hobbies (especially since costs of literally everything have risen and bills come first before the shiny, new game).

To cut back on spending a bit, I started frequenting my local library to borrow books and entertainment. They've got everything to keep you busy but mine also has a video game section. My library has the current systems but also some older stuff by today's standards (3DS/Wii/PS3/360/Wii U). I am currently enjoying Kirby and the Forgotten Land for free which is quite nice.

Times are hard so take this as a quick reminder to check out the free entertainment options in your community.

CDs don't do well when shared. Back in the "blockbuster" days, renting dvds you would get scratch bonanza on them and films would often skip or malfunction. Do they rent it or consider it just a borrow? is there a limit on how many times and how long you borrow it?

[opa]

Do they rent it or consider it just a borrow? is there a limit on how many times and how long you borrow it?

Borrow for free. I don't know about a limit (maybe you can get an extension like a book?). You get 14 days to borrow.

[ZRofel]

Aren't a bunch of us who post here librarians? I remember being excited at one point when a number of other folks stated they worked in libraries too.

Every library I've ever worked in over the last fifteen years has had a pretty huge collection of video games for whatever the current consoles were at the time. And, yeah, they do get kind of beat up as any loaned items are, but the nice thing about libraries is, they're not trying to make money off of you, they just want you to enjoy (or be productive with) whatever you wanted to borrow. Again, every library I've ever worked in has had a disc resurfacer, so if you find a game doesn't work (at least a disc game) and bring it back, folks will usually resurface it for you and give you extra time to make up for any time you may have lost.

Also, most of the times, if you go to a library and tell them you want to borrow a game they don't own, they'll usually either A) get it from another library in the span of a few days or B) buy it and let you borrow it when it arrives.

What I'm saying is, libraries are pretty great, folks.

[marurun]

I don't know of any US public library system that charges a fee for a library card or loans. Some still charge late fees for items that are overdue, though that's increasingly rare, and almost all charge replacement fees for items that are lost or overdue long enough to be considered lost. And in states that are better coordinated and have more public funding they often form consortial networks with each other and use couriers to send materials between libraries so you can freely borrow from other libraries within the network. Ohio, despite not funding other public services well, does fund libraries well, because a portion of income tax goes to the libraries and is written into the state constitution. Ohio also follows the public library model most states do by getting some funding from property tax levies, much like the public schools, and most public libraries coordinate with the public schools to offer additional services. I live in an area where I actually can take advantage of two different regional public library networks, the state-wide public library network, and, due to working in a university, I also can take advantage of the statewide academic library network that almost every college and university in Ohio, public and private, is a member of. So I am fortunate enough to be able to borrow almost any kind of thing that a library will loan to another library. There are also often free public computer labs and other community support endeavors in US public libraries. Public libraries tend to embrace their role as purveyors of social support.

[opa]

I did make a seperate thread a few days ago asking about the Xbox One S, but decided to delete it. I went ahead and purchased a console anyway.

I am not a huge fan of the original Xbox One hardware (I owned the big, fingerprint magnet model in the past). I do like the "S" model so far (sleeker and not as bulky).

The only reason I purchased another console is I wanted to play some "family-friendly" games and some downloadable titles I have on my account. My local library has a pretty decent Xbox One selection on-hand so I don't even have to wait to play some good games.
My goal is to not even purchase any Xbox One titles if it is available as a physical copy I can borrow. I wish this were an option when I was a kid. It would have been awesome to have what equates to free game rentals. Actually, it's even better than a free rental because I recall a rental was only good for around a weekend (or maybe 5 days max, iirc?).

I am currently playing Minecraft Dungeons. I find it to be rather enjoyable as a Diablo-lite style game. It isn't overly complicated and the visuals are quite nice. Minecraft is not something I typically enjoy, but having a clear, defined goal in that game world makes it something I want to continue playing.