Izzy Rivera reads at least one book every week, but buying them new isn't in her budget. As she saves up for law school, some expenses don't make the cut.
"Say I'm buying a few a month," she said, "it just isn't realistic."
That's why Rivera has recently been leaning more on local libraries near her home in Topeka, Kan., checking out both physical books and digital copies on the Libby app. (Some of her recent reads: Sour Cherry by Natalia Theodoridou, Spoilt Creatures by Amy Twigg and Plastic Inc. by Beth Gardiner.) Rivera also went to her library's used book sale last month, where she picked up 15 books for about $20.
The library's money-saving potential doesn't end there for her. Rivera also watches movies on the streaming app Kanopy, reads the New York Times at no cost and often passes the time at a local branch.
"It's somewhere I can go where I'm not expected to spend money," she said. "If I were to go to a coffee shop just to get out and do something, the expectation would be to buy a coffee, even though I probably didn't want a coffee."
It is something of a truism in the library world that, when economic conditions worsen, people use libraries more. Patrons and librarians across the U.S. tell NPR they're seeing that pan out now.
Prices for food and other everyday items continue to rise in part because of the war with Iran, and affordability was a top concern among voters heading into the midterm elections. According to a Pew Research Center survey released in mid-October, 44% of Americans say they've struggled in the past year to afford at least one basic necessity, such as medical care or their rent or mortgage payment. Seventy percent of adults also said they've cut back on "extras," such as subscriptions to streaming services.
Data shared with NPR by several of the largest public library systems in the U.S. show recent upticks in cardholder membership, circulation and event attendance. Librarians say part of that can be attributed to the rising cost of living — and the growing recognition that libraries' resources extend far beyond physical books.
"People start off with Audible and then a friend tells them, 'Why are you paying for that? You can get that at the library if you're a smidgen bit patient,'" said Jeremy Reeder, director of the Maricopa County Library District in Arizona.
Of course, the rising cost of living is not the only factor driving more people to check out libraries. Many institutions have gotten better at marketing themselves, librarians say, and social media has helped foster a renewed cultural interest in reading.
"Libraries have been popular for a really long time, but I think that there's heightened awareness of the wide range of offerings that our libraries are providing," said Maria McCauley, president of the American Library Association. "They are especially popular right now, I think, because people are aware that everything that we provide is free or very low cost."
By the numbers
There is historical precedent for the idea that economic slumps are a boon to libraries.
An analysis by the American Library Association found that circulation increased at 18 large public library systems during a brief U.S. recession in 2001. Another study of 541 libraries found that library use was higher during the Great Recession than in previous years. (However, a 1986 article that tried to draw a similar correlation found no data to support that theory.)
Though it's unclear to what extent affordability concerns are pushing people to libraries now, several large public systems have reported growth in recent years.
Usage of the Los Angeles Public Library's makerspace grew 37% between the last two fiscal years, while digital circulation and library visits were both up over 20%. In-person visits, adult library card applications and Wi-Fi sessions at the Chicago Public Library all jumped by more than 11% year-over-year from January through July. The Maricopa County Library District, which has seen its cardholder base grow sharply as it moved its application process online, recorded a 34% increase in Kanopy use and a 78% surge in Hoopla use over the past three years.
The Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library, where Izzy Rivera goes, logged an 8.1% increase in digital media checkouts last year, though physical circulation is down. There's also been a surge in requests for tech support, such as help with online job applications.
OverDrive, the company that owns Kanopy, reported a 41% spike in users of the streaming service last year alone.
The landscape for libraries
In general, libraries are on a cultural come-up: They're increasingly popular among Gen Z and Millennials — even those who aren't big readers. And there's more interest in reading writ large, as social media phenomena such as #BookTok fuel book sales.
Another change in library use began during the pandemic, when lockdowns forced users to acclimate to digital media, such as the e-books and streaming apps offered by libraries. "It was already a trend pre-pandemic," said Los Angeles Public Library senior librarian Edwin Rodarte, "but the pandemic sort of boosted it and it just skyrocketed afterward."
Yet the growing popularity of libraries also comes at a time when their federal funding is under threat. Last year, the Trump administration attempted to gut the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services and cancel the grants it provides to libraries across the country. The attorneys general of 21 states sued to block the move, and the administration ultimately reinstated the grants.
But the IMLS appears to still be on the Trump administration's radar. When the White House released its budget proposal in April for the current fiscal year, it recommended zeroing out funding for the agency.
Maria McCauley, who is also director of the Cambridge Public Library in Massachusetts, said libraries rely on a combination of federal, state and local funding to operate.
"Every year, libraries have to make a case for their funding, and especially when it's uncertain, it can be harder to get all the resources that we need," she said.
"All that money we are providing back out to the community in terms of expertise, in terms of beautiful facilities for our community members" as well as collections and programs, McCauley added.
It's not just books
Librarians note that libraries are also quick to respond to public needs, and have been a community resource for locals facing issues such as homelessness or food insecurity. One survey found that 56% of libraries offered food security support services last year, the same year a Republican tax and spending bill signed by President Trump ushered in major changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, and millions of Americans started to lose food benefits.
Many libraries also offer classes, meetups and what's often called a "library of things," where they lend out items that patrons may be unable to afford or prefer not to buy: WiFi hotspots, induction cooktops, birding kits, camping gear.
At a biweekly crafting meetup called "Sew What?!" at the Free Library of Philadelphia's Parkway Central Branch, the library provides sewing machines and materials at no cost. Chloe deBeus, who was working on her Halloween costume during a recent event, said attendees can try their hand at sewing and other crafts without having to pay the potentially steep upfront costs.
"You do need to purchase yarn or you do need to purchase fabric. Maybe if you want to sew, you do need to get a machine," deBeus said. "The question is do I even enjoy it enough to purchase these things up front?"
Down the hall, Nathaniel Muns was playing a keyboard inside the branch's music department. His own keyboard had broken, and he hadn't replaced it yet. "Sometimes having a keyboard in your home is not accessible and not doable," he said.
As he practiced the jazz standard "All the Things You Are" and other songs, Muns said the cost of living had risen "astronomically." The library offered him, a recent college graduate who now works with an AI startup, a place to go.
"Being able to come to the library really helps me kind of decompress at the end of the day," he said.
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