2023-12-22 05:55:03
The prices of books or streaming subscriptions continue to rise. However, a legal alternative exists to have access to films, series or books, and make great savings.
While inflation is in full swing, almost nine French people (87%) out of ten say they are paying more attention to their spending according to an Odoxa survey for France Bleu. “Almost half of French people have significantly reduced their spending on everyday consumer goods (49%) and leisure activities (46%),” specifies the study published in September 2023.
Among leisure expenses, the increase in subscription prices for streaming platforms has caused a lot of talk in recent years. The price to benefit from Netflix’s “Premium” plan increased from 11.99 euros in 2014 to 19.99 euros nine years later, an increase of 67%. At the same time, according to data published by INSEE, the price of books increased by 2.8%, between September 2022 and 2023. That of newspapers recorded an increase of 7.2% over the same period.
Faced with these various increases, an alternative exists but is now poorly understood, because it has evolved out of sight. This service is the good old public library, which is no longer content with allowing thousands of books or comics to be borrowed. No, some are now going much further, particularly in terms of online services, and in particular for watching films.
Of course, libraries always offer the possibility of borrowing the latest literary prizes, the most popular manga or even series, such as Game of Thrones or Breaking Bad on DVD. In some establishments, it is even possible to rent video games from Playstation 5, Nintendo Switch or Xbox Series, and sometimes even consoles.
But in addition to that, the majority of establishments offer digital services. In Lorraine, several libraries have joined forces to create Limédia. This platform makes it possible to remotely view recent films such as “The Three Musketeers” (with François Civil, Vincent Cassel, Romain Duris) or “Jeanne du Barry” directed by Maiïwenn. In Lille, the subscription gives access to a catalog of independent films via the Arte or UniversCiné services. Bordeaux media libraries, like many others, offer their users remote press services such as Cafeyn or PressReader. With these, it is possible to read Le Figaro, Libération or Society, among others. Finally, many libraries also offer platforms for taking courses, for example to improve your English, or follow training.
The most interesting thing regarding all of this is the price. Many establishments offer their services at very affordable prices (around thirty euros per year according to our findings), and sometimes even free of charge, upon presentation of simple proof of identity or address. Despite all these advantages, the number of people enrolled in public libraries is declining. In 2023, 5,849,243 people took their card, according to an order from the Ministries of Higher Education and Research and that of Culture. A figure down 5.5% compared to 2022.
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