Frisco parents know that the library is the place to go to pick up the books on this year’s required reading list, but it’s so much more. Today’s institution has kept up with the times. It offers access to high-tech gadgets and top-notch educational programs — all with your free membership card. So here are loads of innovative ways your family can take advantage of your local Texas library.

Find Homework Help

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Your library is on Frisco Square Boulevard. It’s open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., but it closes at 6 p.m. on Fridays. It also has open hours on Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from 1 to 6 p.m. With these extended hours, it’s a terrific place to get homework help after school.

Frisco’s branch does a terrific job of supporting students with various resources. For example, children can search more than 8,500 publications, and they get access to one-on-one tutoring and self-paced study tools through programs like Brainfuse and Explora. High schoolers can even utilize practice exams that can help accelerate educational and career goals.

Learn Something New

The halls of Frisco’s library are a terrific place to learn something new. Beyond checking out stacks of self-help books and informative guides, you can take a class. There are courses for those who want to pick up a new hobby and others for those who want to get ahead at work.

Learn basic editing and formatting techniques in Microsoft Word, or delve into the basics of cryptocurrency with a Bitcoin expert speaker. Library members can take a class about 2D design for laser cutters or train in the Python coding language with a simple online registration.

Access Cool Equipment

If you’ve got a creative idea or you need some inspiration, check out the library’s Makerspace. The staff loaded it with state-of-the-art resources, like a 3D printer. Participate in the beginning class and learn how to create incredible 3D models with free web applications, like Tinkercad. There’s also a computer-controlled milling machine and wire bender that you can use to make endless designs, from ornaments to jewelry.

The Frisco library also gives cardholders access to basic office equipment. So whether you need to copy, fax, scan, or print, you can do it here for free or less than at those big-name business service centers. The library’s computers have Microsoft Office, and some offer access to Adobe Creative Suite.

Join a Club

A great way to get involved with your Frisco community is with a library-sponsored club. It hosts the traditional book clubs for readers young and old, plus special interest groups. Join friends and neighbors at monthly book discussions about everything under the sun. Undead and UnRead is a group of adult members that meet on the second Tuesday, or you can join in from home with Zoom.

The Teen Anime Club plays games, shares snacks, and discusses anime at weekly meetings. There’s a club for residents learning to speak English and a social group for parents ages 50-plus. Creative writers of all skill levels get together for Write Club to share information about writing and the publishing processes and to critique each other’s work.

Attend Free Events

Frisco’s library district is the place to go for outstanding free events, from preschool storytime and arts and culture programs for the teens to tax assistance for adults. Students in first through fifth grades can practice read-aloud skills with a furry friend with the Read to Rover program on Saturday afternoon.

Sign up the kids for the All About Animals presentation or stop by on select Thursday for family astronomy night and study the stars. There are STEM activities and guest speakers at this stellar event.

Get Out of the Rain

One of the best things about the library is its books, and there’s no better place to while away a rainy day than in a cozy nook here. Pick whatever title catches your fancy as you wander down the aisles. Will you spend the afternoon sailing the seas with Captain Nemo, or will your children cheer along as the gallant prince saves his fair maiden? Whatever adventure your family craves, you’ll find it on the pages of a book.

Nothing is more important to your child’s academic success than reading. Early childhood education experts recommend you start reading to your kids at a young age. Babies can see the illustration and point to them on the pages at just a few months of age. This time is more than merely indulging with a few quiet moments. It will help your children build a love of reading that will lead to many successes.

Catch Up on Movies

Whether it’s a regular family night or you and the kids need some catch-up time, a free movie rental from your library may be just the answer. Dig that air popper out from the back of the panty and share a salty, buttery treat with the family. From the latest sci-fi horror flick to a sappy, feel-good drama, you’ll find all the top Hollywood blockbusters waiting on the shelves.

Bulk Up Your Family’s Playlist

Your kids will also love access to the library’s vast collection of digital music. No matter what they’re listening to this week, they’re going to flip over the catalog of songs and artists that are available here. Mom and dad won’t be disappointed either, with country, R&B, and the classics ready to find a home on your capable device. If you don’t have one, don’t worry. You can also rent an eBook and player at the library.

So, there you have it. Crème de la Crème of Frisco just shared some of the best ways you and the kids can take advantage of your local library. Did you like our picks? Did we miss a favorite service of yours — one other Texas families can utilize? If we did, let us know! Drop us a line so we can add your ideas to our guide.