Support your local library

[Knaldskalle]

My local library has a surprisingly large collection of DVDs. Once I discovered this, I made an extensive search of their movie archives. As a result, I could reduce the number of movies in my queue from around 450 to around 320. Add to that the bonus that I can borrow more than "3-out" at a time, keep them for a week and it won't cost me a penny.

The downside is that their website/database is quite unflexible and sometimes you have to be a little creative to find what you're looking for, and for some reason they'll often have disc 1 in a series, but not the rest. Still, that gives you a chance to find out if the rest is worth checking out - without having to use a Netflix "slot" on it.

And of course there's the major downside that you may have to wait for a very long time for the movie to be available for you and there's no way of knowing when that'll happen, but hey, it's free*!

I use my local library a lot on top of my Netflix subscription. I can only recommend that you check out your library and see what they have in stock.

(*: Of course it's not free, you pay taxes to fund the upkeep of your local library. So why not use it? You'll pay the same taxes whether you use it or not. Get your money's worth!)

[SEA]

Don't know where you live, nor do I need to :) but ususally libraries are linked up with a consortium with whom they share materials, most of which have their own style of separating or not separating series/bonus discs. If you want something you don't see at your library, ask the reference librarian and he/she will help you out. I've never met a reference librarian who wouldn't try their damndest to get patrons exactly what they want. :)
I was trying to get the Alfred Hitchcock Presents Season 3 right after it was first released and my librarians found the entire set somewhere midway across the country, and I was able to hold onto it for a whole month. Preeetttty good.
Peace!
SEA

[Knaldskalle]

My library, unfortunately, breaks sets of DVD's into individual discs (with photocopied covers), so it's not possible for me to do like you. That would be really nice, but I like my library a lot as it is.

[SEA]

Hi! I've been working full-time at libraries for years now. I get so many DVD's from library systems. And what my library doesn't have, I can usually get from an affiliated one. One of the best things is that often they will have the entire set (multi-discs) and you get to take all of them for free. Series, bonus discs, all thatl.
Like you said, you do have to be creative and a little flexible, but you can save a ton of money using your local library.

[Knaldskalle]

Yes, and they have a return date. There's a downside to everything. At least they don't have shipping problems... :-)

[NewfMom]

Knaldskalle, ditto. I found some movies which Netflick still does not have. The only gripe I have about borrowing dvd's from my local public library is people tend to be so careless with those discs - lots of scratches.