Your local library

Also some libaries have dvd's and vhs's you can borrow.

Enjoy

I'll chime in here: As it happens I am a librarian, and it's true your local public library can be a great source for FREE exposure to music. In my library, we have a fairly large collection of jazz, classical, soundtracks, rock, Books on CD, and lots more. All available on a 28 day loan period. We also have over 1000 DVDs and VHS tapes that go out for 1 week, free of charge. Try getting that deal at Blockbuster. In addition to the things we own, we also participate in a revolving "circuit collection" of CDs. Every 3 months we get 600 new ones consisting of every genre, including a boatload of new releases, alternative, metal, you name it. My library also offers users free wireless broadband Internet connectivity. Bring your notebook in, sit down, fire it up, it will automatically aquire my network, and away you go.

Now for an audiophile tip of the week: make friends with one of the librarians. Libraries get hundreds of LP donations from patrons for sale in their annual book sales. If you are vinyl oriented, explain that you would love to get your hands on records and are willing to pay the library what they would normally get (.50 - 1.00 each), you may be able to get your hands on some real gems. Just don't try it in MY library, as my staff is under strict orders to send all incoming LPs to my office first ;) Example: today I aquired the entire Led Zep catalogue on the original green/red Atlantic label in good condition...

Krelldog, Thanks you for the good words about libraries. Keep using that card bud!

Stop giving all the great secrets away. If people start going to libraries, then they might start reading. God only knows how bad a little education is. SHHHHHHHHHH!

Sarcasm aside, some of the better libraries to find good vinyl (and hardy used) are the libraries of colleges and universities with established music programs.

And there is nothing like reading a great book listing to great music.

When I got my first CD player in middle school, I couldn't afford CDs, so I borrowed them from the library. My library borrowing habits nowadays tend to be Jazz (since I am least familiar with it), obscure classical and lots of opera. Sometimes you have to clean the cd, use some polycarbonate scratch removers, and run the disc through the Skip Doctor buffing wheel so they won't skip. I figure I'm doing the library a favor!

Great suggestion. I have found my local library a great resource for trying out unfamiliar stuff, be it an artiste or genre of music.