Working remotely is no longer an anomaly; it is becoming more common in the workplace. “Working remotely” can be whatever the employee wants – their favorite local coffee shop, the best restaurant for lunch, or a community area that can be a vibrant hub of creativity. A couple of things you need to be able to work remotely are the internet and electricity. You need to be able to connect to WiFi. You need to be able to access an electrical outlet to recharge devices. But what if your favorite place is closed, the office WiFi is not working, or the power has gone out?

One thing that became a saving grace for me was the local library. I was in a crunch, and the internet in our work office was not working. I didn’t want to go to a coffee shop or restaurant and feel obligated to purchase something. At the library, I found a private room, held a virtual meeting, and wrote a report before visiting with a nearby client.

Pros of Working At Your Local Library

What’s not to love about the library? It has friendly and helpful employees, regular open hours, working areas, internet (WiFi and work computers you can use), printers, books, air conditioning, water fountains, and bathrooms. Depending on the space within the library, they may even have private rooms you can book to work from without interruption. Plus, you can step away from the computer and look at the latest novels available in your favorite genre. And it’s all free! You don’t have to have a library card or make a purchase – just go in and work! Libraries come in handy when I meet with clients in different parts of the city and need somewhere to work between meetings.

Another pro of working from a local library: there is usually a library in most towns or cities! When I visited family in Arkansas,  I needed a place to work for a couple of hours before joining them at an event. I went to the small-town library and worked in a quiet, air-conditioned area with a good WiFi connection. Once I finished, I picked up my things, left before they closed at 5 p.m., and visited with family that lived five minutes away from the library.

I can’t say enough about how great it is to work remotely from my local libraries. They have saved me more than once when I needed a quick solution. If you’re looking for your next quiet and comfortable remote work spot, visit your local library. You won’t be disappointed.

Find the library nearest you in Memphis: https://www.memphislibrary.org/about/locations/ 

Final Note:

If you are in a crunch, places that often have WiFi you can connect to are McDonald’s and Starbucks. Most – if not all – of their restaurants and shops have WiFi connections. If need to do some work quickly, those are good options!