Download Free Magazines From your Library with Zinio
If you ever needed another reason to join your local library and haven’t done so already, this is surely it:
Free Magazines!!!
Yes that’s right, apparently you can now download free magazines to your laptop, PC, tablet, phone or other device and read away till your hearts content.
I know what you are thinking… “What’s the catch?”, “There’s no such thing as a free lunch (-based magazine)!”
To be honest for one of the first times in my life I cannot actually see one. Unbelievable, right!? You have to sign up to a website/app called Zinio which acts as a browsing and downloading tool for your latest free magazines, which is quick, easy and let’s be honest, to be expected. I’d hardly class it as a catch anyway. 1
I have only tried downloading one free magazine with the service so far but from what I can tell you actually have unlimited downloads for the magazines that are actually on offer for free. They can stay on your device forever (well until you delete them) so it’s not even like you have to e-return them somehow! The magazine I downloaded (Computer Music) looked very slick on my 15″ (work) Mac laptop and I can’t wait to download one onto the iPad to check out how it feels with the touchscreen.
Obviously they also have other magazines you have to pay for to download, but the selection on the free ones is so vast you should be able to avoid doing that unless you really wanted something niche!
Vast Selection of Free Magazines Alert!
Ok so what is on offer? There are around 100 magazines available for free download, but here is a brief selection of the ones that I think might be interesting to theFIREstarter readers:
- Cycling Plus – Plenty of cycling aficionados out there as far as I can tell
- The Economist – Surely of interest to investors
- Forbes – Ditto!
- Future Music – Bit of a random one perhaps but I know at least MMM, Mad Fientist, and myself all have an interest in attempting to make electronic music, although I haven’t touched my (musical) keyboard in well over a year 🙁
- Games Master – I know there are quite a few video games enthusiasts out there in the FI community
- Golf Monthly – As you probably know by now I love me a bit of golf!
- Good To Know Recipes – Great home cooking means less spent on meals out
- Green Living Guide – Never read it but sounds interesting
- Kitchen & Garden – Growing your own is a popular activity
- net – Learn programming as a side hustle or brush up your existing skills
- New Scientist – Expand your knowledge of the world around us. Always helpful!
- Knit Wear – Don’t laugh, making your own clothes is particularly badass in my opinion. Maybe one for 5-10 years time for me though
- Runners World – Great way to keep in shape, live a longer and healthier life
- Vegetarian Times – Learn a healthy and cheap way to cook
- Auto Express – Ahhh ha ha ha did I get you?! OK I know it’s not April 1st but still funny (to me at least)
There are plenty of others on there that I am sure are of interest to various people 2 but I think the above covers a good cross section of the interests of fellow FI type folk/mustachians.
What Libraries are offering this service?
My local library service is West Sussex so if you are in my area you can sign up here:
Zinio Library Service for West Sussex
However a quick search on the big G for “zinio libraries uk” reveals there are many others:
I guess if you can’t find your local one then just narrow down the search to “zinio libraries EnterYourAreaHere” and hopefully it will come up with something!
For more information you can see the RB Digital Zinio homepage or check out this handy Zinio FAQ here
Enjoy! 🙂
Never seen this before and just discovered my local library also has a subscription to it. It looks like many do.
I have found that Hertfordshire, Hampshire, Surrey, Southampton and more certainly provide the service. Excellent. Truly excellent.
Thanks very much for highlighting this for us! Now you have given me even more reading material to get through…ARGH!
No problem DD!
I have exactly the same problem. I have around 80 Chrome tabs open right now with blog posts I want to read spanning back from the last 4 weeks. Arrrgh! Indeed!
I always want to read the New Scientist stuff as it looks so interesting but to be honest if I download any of the mags above it will probably be Golf Monthly for now at least 🙂
I hope this service continues long into the future though so you can browse through different kinds of mags as your hobbies and tastes change.
Zinio is one of Warwickshire’s subscription services too. It carries a wide variety of titles but I honestly don’t know if “Hello” is on the list – I do draw the line somewhere (how am I ever going to live that MIC confession down :-))
Haha, sorry Cerridwen, it was a cheap shot but I couldn’t resist 🙂
Great call, TFS! Unfortunately, my local library doesn’t yet have this service but I may suggest it to them for consideration.
What I did find though in searching through their website is that they have an extensive e-book catalogue which I was totally unaware of, so thanks for pointing me in the right direction as I now have an option in case I don’t fancy borrowing a big hardback!
Ah I never even thought to check that! Bet mine does that too, will have to check that out!
Cheers weenie
Along with lots of other people, I have to thank you for that find! I haven’t even wandered in my local library since moving here, but this gives me a really good reason to go and join.
@Cerridwen – Hello! is actually on the list of magazines included in my borough’s subscription 😉
Great news FF!
I can’t wait to have a bit more time on my hands later in the year to actually sit down and read some of the darn things (books and mags) 🙂
You’re in West Sussex too? What are the odds? Awesome post man – can’t believe how much fun I’m gonna have with this… 🙂
Cool! Where abouts are you based?
Feel free to drop me a private mail if you want to chat about more local stuff!
Cheers
huh, how did i miss this?
Worth noting that different counties pay for different levels, so no economist for bedfordshire, but Herts lets people from other local counties join online, and their selection is much better!
Oh really? Good tip Steve, cheers!