Borrowing from the library can help reduce costs while keeping reading material fresh and interesting.Doublespace Photography/Supplied
Erin Bury is the co-founder and CEO of online estate planning platform Willful.co. She lives in rural Ontario with her husband and two young children.
As parents across Canada wonder how to fill these long summer days, I’ll share a secret weapon that will save both your money and your sanity.
It’s something that’s been sitting under your nose for years: Your local library.
Until I moved to a small town and had children, I only used the library occasionally. Although I was a voracious reader, I used to buy books or borrow them from friends, which was both expensive and a source of clutter in my small condo.
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When I moved to a smaller community, I committed to using the library more, and 90 per cent of the physical and e-books I now read are borrowed for free.
I’ve instilled my love for books in our two daughters, who are both still too young to read, but who love storytime and negotiate for way more books than I’m willing to read on a nightly basis.
Borrowing books from the library has helped us reduce costs while switching up our reading material, since at this point we’ve all memorized The Very Cranky Bear and Llama Llama Red Pajama.
I’ve since discovered that libraries have a lot more to offer than just reading material. At our local libraries in Ontario’s Prince Edward County, you can borrow musical instruments, activity kits, movies (if you still have a DVD player, that is) and Ontario Parks passes, among other things. That means you can cultivate an interest in a new hobby, or fill up a summer day, without spending a dime.
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They also offer a variety of kids programming, from art classes and workshops to story time and open play in their playroom, which is outfitted with everything from trampolines to interactive toys.
I was inspired to explore the library’s offerings by my friend Kirsten Peden, a teacher and mom of two daughters who lives in Burlington, Ontario. She’s my library influencer, posting often about what her family has borrowed and making me think, “The library offers that?!”
Like me, she had a library card she didn’t use much before having kids. Several years ago, she started taking her daughter to baby story time classes as a way to get out of the house and meet other parents.
Since then, her family has borrowed countless books, board games, puzzles, a Yoto player and passes to local conversation areas, parks, art galleries, and local attractions such as swimming pools and the Royal Botanical Gardens.
She says the library is also a safe, quiet place where her girls love to spend time. “We go to the library just to hang out. There are a number of library locations where I live and we like to visit all of them,” she said.
Her daughters choose books to borrow, play computer games, play with puppets and complete activities including scavenger hunts and STEM projects.
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Typically, your library receipt tells you how much money you’ve saved on books and other things you’ve borrowed. My latest receipt reported I’ve saved hundreds in 2025, while Ms. Peden estimates she’s saved thousands.
“Anything geared towards kids these days is very expensive. Even going to see a movie costs our family of four at least a hundred dollars,” Ms. Peden said. “The library offers us an inexpensive and engaging space for our kids. They offer fun programs that are always changing and there is always something that fits our family’s current age and stage in life.”
If you’re dealing with bored kids this summer and stretching to fill up days, get a library card, research what your local branch (or branches) have to offer and make the library one of your most-visited destinations this summer.
There are 3,350 public library branches across Canada, and they’re just waiting to help save you money, while spending time wisely.
