When you begin your firefighter promotional exam prep, you may not want to study in your own home or at a cafe for many reasons. Your local public library is a great resource and study spot as you begin the promotion process in the fire service.
FREE Instant Quiet Cozy Study Spot
The library is a great study spot because it is free, quiet and very cozy. When studying at the library you don’t have to buy anything in order to study there, you don’t even have to have a library card (you do in order to check out books of course). You can just walk in and sit down, get to work, and do your thing. The library is also a quiet space. While sometimes there may be people talking, it is generally much quieter than other public study spaces and it is likely quieter than your home if you live with others. The library is also temperature controlled so you will never be too cold or too warm. In addition, there is also no time limit to how long you can be there, so long as it is within their business hours you can study for hours at a time.
Free Textbooks
One of the biggest benefits of the library is the free books. You can likely find the books you need to use to study for your firefighter promotional exam on the shelves of your local public library for you to use for free for a designated period of time. Textbooks can be so expensive, so being able to get them for free since you only need them for a short period of time is wildly beneficial. While you can only check out books for a certain amount of time, you can always renew the loan and keep them as long as you need. Most public libraries have online databases so you can check what books are available before you even go to be sure they have them. Some libraries even have the option of transferring books from other libraries to yours for you to use if yours doesn’t have the one you’re looking for.
Free Internet/Computers
In addition to having access to your textbooks at your local library you also have access to their computers and internet. If you study at the library you can bring your own laptop to access online study resources using the library's free wifi. However, if you do not have your own laptop the library offers computers that are available for anyone to use for free. This way you can access online study resources such as online practice tests or any other online information you may need. Having a computer to use when studying for your firefighter promotional exam can be hugely beneficial as you can access other resources that may not be available otherwise.
Lots of Space For Group Studying
The library is also a great meeting spot if you are studying with other people in a study group. Some people in your group may not know each other all too well, so having a public location may decrease the awkwardness of inviting a stranger into your home. The library also offers large tables and areas for groups to meet that may not be available at someone's home or other study locations. It also gives you the opportunity to have all of the above resources at your fingertips. In addition, I have never seen a full public library with no seating left, but almost every time you go to a cafe or other public place to study, it can be hard to find a table for one, let alone more than one, to use to study.
Librarians
One of the absolute best and underutilized resources the library offers to you is the librarians. A librarian can help you with anything and everything. They can help you find books, get on waitlists for books, and are just a wealth of knowledge in general. They may even have study tips and tricks for you and can help you if you are doing research no matter the topic. Librarians get to interact with so many people who are always learning, they know a lot about a lot, and love passing that knowledge onto others. So if you decide to study at your local public library, introduce yourself to the librarian and let her know what you’re doing there and you may be surprised at what you get in return.
The Takeaway
Your local public library is a great meeting spot for you to study for your firefighter promotional exam. With its limited distractions and unlimited resources in the form of books, computers, and knowledgeable librarians, the library is a great place to study.