Get Your Library Card!!!

Tomorrow starts another work week and the morning commute. This task can be quite irksome, especially since commuting means interacting with the human race (and for those of us in NYC, the MTA).

Want to make the task a little less daunting?

Get your Library Card!

Nothing drowns out the sounds of the hustle and bustle than that Ken Follett thriller, Nora Roberts swashbuckling romance or the latest New York Times bestseller (I prefer paperback myself).

If you actually want to drown out the sounds, most libraries have a wide selection of CDs that you can rip to your computer and download to your iPod. My current favorite is Bret Michaels' solo album (yes, he made a solo album and yes, it is quite delectably bad).

So go to your nearest library and sign up for a card. It takes about 5 minutes, is free and is the Cheap Chic's option for staying sane while commuting (without breaking the bank). Most libraries also have DVD collections, so you can secretly watch The Love Guru from the privacy of your own home and not have spend a dime by renting it (Trust me, it would be sorry with your investment).

In NYC, there are three main library systems: the New York Public Library (otherwise known as the NYPL), the Brooklyn Public Library and the Queens Borough Public Library. With over 50 million items in circulation (NYPL), I'm sure you will be able to find something that would tickle your fancy.

All these systems have websites and online catalogs where you can look up their entire collections and place things on hold (Currently, I'm waiting on The House Bunny to come in! Oh my!).

So go online, find your nearest library branch, and get that card!