To Do San Francisco

Leverage San Francisco's Excellent Public Library! February 24, 2026

• Jamie Whitaker • Season 3 • Episode 42

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Jamie Whitaker

Happy Tuesday, this is Jamie, and you're listening to the To Do San Francisco podcast for February 24th, 2026. The song in my mind today is Modern Love by David Bowie. I have a link to the music video on YouTube in the show notes. Before we get into it, here's your affirmation for this Tuesday. Your curiosity is a superpower, and it deserves to be fed. You don't need a massive budget or a fancy degree to grow. You just need the willingness to ask how or why? Hold on to that spark today. Now let's talk about the best kept secret in the seven by seven. Well, it's not really a secret, but it's definitely underutilized. I'm talking about the San Francisco Public Library. If you think the library is just a place for quiet shushing and dusty paperbacks, you're missing out on what is essentially the world's most powerful subscription service, and you've already paid for it with your taxes. Your San Francisco Public Library card is basically a magic wand for your brain. Want to level up your career? You get full access to LinkedIn Learning. Want to finally learn enough Italian to order more than just pizza on your next trip? Rosetta Stone is free through the portal. You can skip the paywalls for the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and thousands of electronic magazines. And for entertainment, forget the rising cost of streaming. You can watch indie gems and documentaries on Kanopy, or load up your MUNI commute with audiobooks and ebooks via Libby or Hoopla. But don't ignore the physical world. Whether you're heading to the massive main library at Civic Center or your cozy neighborhood branch in the Sunset or the Richmond, there are actual DVDs, CDs, and of course, real hold in your hand books. It's a sanctuary in a digital world. If you don't have a card yet, consider this your sign to get go get one today. Before I send you out into the world, here's your civility tip for the day. The library voice in the wild We all know the library is a shared space, but so is the bus, the coffee shop, and the sidewalk. Today, try to be mindful of your audio footprint. If you're taking a call on speakerphone in a public space, maybe tuck into a corner or switch to your handset. Respecting the collective quiet or vibe of a space is a small way to say I see you and I value our shared environment. Good luck out there, feed that curiosity, and have a truly wonderful Tuesday. Thanks for listening, San Francisco.