1

Museum tickets

Image: Moralis Tsai

Many libraries in the U.S. and worldwide offer free passes to museums, zoos, and cultural centers . It's a great way to explore local attractions without spending any money.

Check with your local library to see what’s available. Some even let you reserve passes online.

2

Language classes

Image: Ling App

Many libraries offer free language classes, either in person or through online platforms .

It's a great way to start learning a new language or improve your existing skills. Be sure to check what your local library offers.

3

Wi-Fi

Image: Franck

Many public libraries have partnered with companies like Verizon to offer Wi-Fi hotspots for checkout, helping those without internet access at home or travelers stay connected.

This service helps bridge the digital divide and ensures patrons can access important online resources and services.

4

State Park passes

Image: Joshua J. Cotten

Several libraries across the U.S. offer free passes to local and state parks . This is a great way to explore nature without the added cost.

5

Telescopes

Image: Patrick Hendry

Local astronomical societies and clubs have teamed up with libraries to offer telescopes , just like books.

This gives visitors the chance to explore the night sky in remarkable detail—perfect for beginners and astronomy enthusiasts alike.

6

Video and board games

Image: Karthik Balakrishnan

Many libraries offer game collections to their visitors, including both classic board games and popular video games .

This provides a fun, free way for patrons to enjoy games without needing to buy them.

7

Early literacy programs

Image: Michał Parzuchowski

Librarians are passionate about promoting early literacy and getting kids excited about reading. Many libraries offer age-specific programs at different times, often featuring fun themes and activities to keep young readers engaged.

8

Concerts

Image: BRUNO CERVERA

Many libraries host free concerts throughout the year, featuring a variety of musical genres.

These performances cater to different audiences, providing a great way to enjoy live music without spending a dime .

9

Genealogy

Image: June Hansen

Some libraries offer free access to the library edition of Ancestry.com, allowing users to explore their family history .

Available on-site, it provides the same features as a personal subscription, including access to global records and historical documents.

10

Movies

Image: Marius GIRE

Many libraries not only lend movies but also host free movie screenings. These events often include kids' films during school breaks, holiday specials, and midday showings for all ages .

11

Printers

Image: Mahrous Houses

No printer at home? Some libraries let you email documents for printing at a small fee . They may also offer faxing and copying services. Additionally, many libraries provide access to a range of tools, such as 3D printers, scanners, and more.

12

Computers

Image: Keith Kasaija

Many libraries offer desktop computers with internet access for their patrons to use, free of charge. These stations give visitors a quiet space to complete online tasks, work, or study.

1

Elvis Presley

Just two years before "Heartbreak Hotel" catapulted him to worldwide fame in 1956, Elvis was working as a truck driver and deliveryman in Memphis, Tennessee.

He started at Crown Electric Company on April 20, 1954, earning $1 an hour to deliver electrical supplies to local job sites while hoping to train as an electrician. But everything changed that June, when Sun Records owner Sam Phillips remembered a recording Elvis had made a few years earlier as a gift for his mother and called him into the studio. They recorded a high-energy version of Arthur Crudup’s blues song "That’s All Right," which became Elvis’s first hit. Even after the song hit local radio stations, Elvis didn’t quit his job right away; he continued driving until mid-October 1954, when his touring schedule made it impossible to keep working a 40-hour week.

2

Johnny Cash

We all know Johnny Cash for hits like "I Walk the Line" and "Ring of Fire," but before becoming a country music legend, he had a totally different career.

In 1950, at 18, Cash enlisted in the U.S. Air Force during the Cold War. Stationed in Landsberg, West Germany, he worked as a Morse code intercept operator, transcribing secret Soviet transmissions. According to his 1997 autobiography, he was the first American to learn of Joseph Stalin’s death on March 5, 1953 , after decoding the Soviet message announcing it. But the Air Force also brought Cash closer to music. While in Germany, he bought his first guitar for 20 Deutsche Marks (about $5 at the time) and began writing songs and performing for fellow soldiers. Several years later, after moving to Memphis, Cash took the lyrics to "Folsom Prison Blues" to Sam Phillips, the same man who helped launch Elvis Presley’s career.

3

Madonna

Can you imagine walking into Dunkin’ Donuts for a coffee and being served by Madonna? If you lived in New York City in the late ’70s, it could have happened.

Madonna moved from her native Michigan to New York in 1978 at age 20, dreaming of becoming a singer and dancer. With just $35 in her pocket, she needed a job to pay the rent, and landed her first one at Dunkin’ Donuts in Times Square. But it lasted only a week. As she later recalled, she was fired for playing with the jelly-squirter machine. Over the next few years, Madonna took cassette recordings of her songs to producers, nightclubs, and DJs around the city. Her persistence paid off in 1982, when she gave a tape to Mark Kamins, a DJ at Danceteria. He played her song "Everybody," and the crowd loved it.

4

Tina Turner

Before becoming one of the world’s greatest voices and performers, Tina Turner worked at a hospital.

Born Anna Mae Bullock in November 1939, she graduated from Sumner High School in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1958 and got a job as a nurse’s aide at the city’s Barnes-Jewish Hospital, hoping to pursue a career in medicine. But music soon changed her plans. She and her sister often visited clubs where Ike Turner performed with the Kings of Rhythm. One night, a drummer handed Tina the microphone, and Ike was so impressed by her voice that he invited her to sing with the group. For a while, Turner worked at the hospital by day and performed at night, but that changed in 1960, when she recorded "A Fool in Love" with Ike. The song became a huge hit, and touring demands forced her to leave her hospital job behind.

5

Chuck Berry

Before becoming the Father of Rock and Roll with hits like "Johnny B. Goode," Chuck Berry had some surprisingly ordinary jobs.

After leaving a youth reformatory in 1947, Berry settled in St. Louis, got married, and found work on General Motors’ auto assembly line. While working at the factory, he developed a love for cars (which later showed up in songs like "Maybellene") and continued his longtime passion: playing guitar. In the early 1950s, he began exploring other fields, and in 1953, he left the factory to work as a professional hairstylist and cosmetologist, a job that allowed him to play guitar at local clubs on weekends. His ordinary life changed in 1955 when Berry showed up right at Chess Records' doors with his songs. That July, "Maybellene" became a huge hit and launched his music career.

6

Axl Rose

After seeing Axl Rose on stage, it’s hard to imagine him doing anything other than music. But he certainly did.

Born William Bruce Rose Jr. on February 6, 1962, in Lafayette, Indiana, he moved to Los Angeles in 1982 and formed a band named Hollywood Rose. During those years, he took a job as a clerk at Tower Records on Sunset Boulevard. He was pretty good at it and was eventually promoted to store manager. In his new position, he hired Saul Hudson, better known as Slash, who would later become his bandmate. They were both fired from Tower Records in 1984, but they didn’t give up on music. In June 1985, Rose joined Izzy Stradlin, Duff McKagan, Slash, and Steven Adler to form Guns N’ Roses. After building a following in LA bars, a Geffen Records executive saw the band perform, and they were finally signed to a major deal in 1986.

7

Cyndi Lauper

We tend to imagine famous artists as having glamorous lives, but many had difficult beginnings. That was the case for Cyndi Lauper, who, in 1970, dropped out of school and left her home in Queens at 17 to escape her abusive stepfather.

She left with little more than a toothbrush, an apple, her cat, and some art supplies. In those early years, she relied partly on unemployment checks and money from panhandling. But she needed a steady income to support herself while pursuing her dreams. So she took on a series of odd jobs, working as a dog kennel assistant, personal assistant, vintage clothing clerk, and even a horse walker at Belmont Park racetrack. Her life finally began to change in 1981 when David Wolff discovered her singing covers at a New York piano bar and became her manager.

8

Duke Ellington

As a child growing up in Washington, D.C., in the early 1900s, Edward Kennedy Ellington was actually more interested in baseball than the piano.

At just 7, he would skip piano lessons to play baseball. His love for the sport became a way to earn money when he took a job as a vendor at Washington Senators games, selling peanuts, popcorn, cigars, and candy from around 1908 to 1912. But as a teenager, his interests began to change. At 14, he started sneaking into Frank Holliday’s Poolroom, where hearing local ragtime pianists sparked his passion for music. By 1914, Duke had written his first song, and over the years, his talent made him a local star. In 1923, he moved to New York City, and four years later, his big break came when his orchestra became the house band at Harlem’s famous Cotton Club.

9

Neil Diamond

It’s hard to believe, but the man who gave us "Sweet Caroline" once imagined a life in medicine — and was a talented fencer, too.

After his grandmother died of cancer, young Neil Diamond dreamed of becoming a doctor or biologist so he could help find a cure. In 1958, he went to New York University on a fencing scholarship and studied pre-med, while also helping his team win the 1960 NCAA men’s fencing championship. But just 10 credits short of graduating, he took a job doing what he loved most. For about 4 months, he worked writing songs for Sunbeam Music Publishing for $50 a week. That job changed everything, and Diamond eventually dropped out of college to pursue music full-time. His career took off in 1965 when producers Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich helped him land a deal with Bang Records.

10

Patti Smith

What does Patti Smith have to do with tricycles? It sounds like a strange question, but before becoming the "Queen of Punk," Smith worked in a factory inspecting parts for baby strollers and tricycles.

At 16, while growing up in New Jersey, she took a summer job at a factory checking metal pipes and handlebars for defects. After graduating high school in 1964, she returned to the factory full-time while briefly attending Glassboro State Teachers College. In 1967, she dropped out and moved to New York City, where she worked at a Brentano’s bookstore while struggling to get by. After years in the city’s underground music scene, Smith finally broke through with her legendary 1975 album, Horses.

1

Jawn

In Philadelphia, "jawn" can mean almost anything! The term grew from African American English and evolved into a catchall word for an object, event, or person. Visitors sometimes get confused, but locals enjoy its flexibility. It works as a little verbal wink that says you belong.

2

Snowbirds

Florida locals call winter visitors "snowbirds." The playful name popped up when northerners began heading south for warm weather during the cold months, just like those birds. It reflects the state’s seasonal rhythm and the migration pattern that still fills beach towns once the temperatures drop up north.

3

Slush

Order a "slush" in Boston, and you’ll receive something close to an Italian snow cone. Local ice cream stands helped cement the name, and kids who grew up in Massachusetts often carry a strong opinion about which shop makes the best one.

4

Yinz

People from Western Pennsylvania use "yinz" to call out to a group. It grew from old Scots-Irish speech patterns brought by early immigrants. The sound changed over time, but the community kept the word alive. If you grew up around Pittsburgh, you might slip and say it without even thinking.

5

Rotary

In Massachusetts, a "rotary" is simply a traffic circle. The term stuck thanks to local road planners who liked the older label long after other states switched to "roundabout." If you hear someone gripe about a rotary on their commute, chances are they have roots in the Bay State.

6

Bubbler

If someone in Wisconsin asks where the "bubbler" is, they just want a sip of water. The word came from early drinking fountain designs that created a bubbling stream. While the term is also popular in some parts of Rhode Island and Massachusetts, many other parts of the country simply began to use the term "water fountain."

7

On sale liquor

Minnesota liquor rules created the terms "on sale" and "off sale." On-sale liquor is what you drink right where you buy it, like at a bar. Off-sale means you take it home before opening it. It sounds like a bargain at first, but it’s just a local way to talk about alcohol laws.

8

Cattywampus

Alabama families use "cattywampus" for anything crooked or out of place. The term has roots in older American slang style that mixed playful sounds with creative spelling. It is one of those words that makes you smile, even if it’s describing your own hair.

9

Bear down

In Arizona, "bear down" is tied to college sports. The phrase began to be used as a battle cry after a student from the University of Arizona left that message for his team in the 1920s. Fans kept the spirit alive, turning it into a tradition that shows pride and determination.

10

Sourdough

Longtime Alaskans call themselves "sourdoughs." Why? During the early days of settlement, folks relied on sourdough starter when other leavening ingredients were hard to get in such a distant region. The nickname became a badge of endurance and also a hint of humor about tough living.

11

Janky

In parts of New England, "janky" describes something shabby or unreliable. The word has traveled through many communities, but locals in the Northeast use it with a knowing grin. It works for a rickety bench, a questionable motel, or any situation that leaves you raising an eyebrow.