Check your public library

[stevenpaulalejandro]

1

[MifuneFan]

Amazing. I hear they have books too

[AnimalChin]

I used to borrow dvds from the library, I was surprised they carried Lost and Entourage. They didn't have the last seasons though, so maybe they were donations.

[stevenpaulalejandro]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Amazing. I hear they have books too

not always!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/0...n_2496069.html

[vader4]

Thank Andrew Carnegie.

[Snicket]

The Library: Not just a brothel for the homeless!

[joie]

Might as well get something back from your taxes. I'm lucky to have access to thousands of DVDs and about 2000 Blu-rays -- but don't have enough time to see them all.

[sleepydumbdude]

Mine has a redbox type of machine that you can request things online and come in 48-72 hours to pick up from the machine. Its called mediabank or something.

[SwaggerJagger]

My library used to charge $3 for DVDs! I mean its $3 but I could just go to Big Lots and get those titles for that much.

[Nez]

I have been using library for the past 1-1 1/2years.They have over 10,000 DVDs and over 1,000 Blu-rays.They also buy the new and current ones like Dredd,Looper ect.so I then decide which ones I will buy and usually don't pay more than $10 for movies down the road.

[EricJ]

I'll see that and raise ya:
Just about every library in our state system has been trying to buy the big mass-market 3-4 disk combos of popular family-films when they come out, since they can save time getting/lending the Blu and DVD in the same package.
Which means, in the case of, say, The Avengers, or Finding Nemo, or The Lorax, our library system has also been stocking up on 4-disk Blu 3D combos right and left.

Just these last six months, I"ve been able to watch 7-14 day rentals of the 3D versions of Avatar, Lion King, Brave, MIB3, Spiderman, Tintin, Hugo, Puss in Boots, the IMAX documentaries, Madagascar 3 and Frankenweenie, for the price of just a few weeks of reserve-list waiting and $1 a day for overdue (optional), as opposed to $7 rentals each at Vudu/online and a 24-hour window.
Good things come to those who know how to lie in wait.

[diskspinner]

Mine in Richardson, TX has only 39

[MifuneFan]

I still have my first library card from 1988

[AgentOrange]

Mine has quite a few blu-rays of popular titles, TV series, etc and I caught onto that a couple years ago. Problem is I live about 30 minutes away (each way), and I believe they are 2 day rental. So it's not like I can get a stash of 10 at a time. Basically instead of "shipping kills the deal", in this case "gas kills the deal"... even though the actual rental is free.

Plus my library system is actually lacking in what would be the more "educational" or film studies type films (i.e. Kino, Criterion, etc). Which I've always found strange given the purpose of a library, I'm sure I would be able to check out the "A-Team" or "Taken 2" no problem (maybe a waiting list). But not so much if I wanted Kino's 1930 Abe Lincoln or Birth of a Nation, they likely wouldn't have those at all.

I'm sure part of it is the expense, but they did have alot of Criterion DVDs's, but not much in the way of the more "speciality' blu-ray. But like I said they have a relatively massive collection overall of blu-rays and DVD's if I'm just looking for popular titles. When I first discovered it I thought it was going to be great, but as blu-ray prices have come down dramaticallly I found that I really wouldn't be saving all that much by driving all the way out there.

[bgart13]

The Chicago library system has 12 blu-rays.

12.

For the entire city.

[slimdude]

Originally Posted by stevenpaulalejandro

Hadn't been to my local library in awhile and was surprised to find them with blu-rays on the shelf. Here in San Antonio our system has 542 blu-ray titles for free rental. It's a nifty and free resource for blu-ray quality research. Also keep them in mind as a donation spot if you have blu-rays you're not using or don't need.

You don't rent blu-rays from the library, you borrow them. But if you return them late, (if they're not renewed) the library will charge the patron a late fee per day.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

I still have my first library card from 1988

I still have a book I borrowed in 1988

[BigRich45]

The Brooklyn public library surprisingly carries alot of criterion titles from all over the world.kurosawa in the Japanese section, fellini in the Italian section etc...

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by stevenpaulalejandro

Hadn't been to my local library in awhile and was surprised to find them with blu-rays on the shelf. Here in San Antonio our system has 542 blu-ray titles for free rental. It's a nifty and free resource for blu-ray quality research. Also keep them in mind as a donation spot if you have blu-rays you're not using or don't need.

Makes sense. That's what I tell people to do, too. I mean we're paying for it through tax dollars. No need to pay for another service when there's the library.

[thrillmygorilla]

Yeah, but I bet they will be scratched all to hell before long.