This month, a library card in Glenview, Illinois, doubles as a discount pass. The suburban Chicago library has partnered with 25 local businesses to offer deals to cardholders throughout September, which is Library Card Sign-Up Month, from 10% off wine to a free month of robotics classes.
With basics like electricity and groceries straining budgets, small indulgences like buying a hardcover book or going to the movies can be harder for people to justify. Tickets for movies, theaters, and concerts alone have climbed 27% since before the pandemic, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
