Smack in the center of the first floor at our biggest library sits a stunning collection of foreign and American classic films in both DVD and VHS format that rivals that of any retail store we've ever frequented. Literally hundreds of movies are available to anyone with a library card, the time (they have to be returned within a week), and the curiosity to watch them. The masters — Federico Fellini, Ingmar Bergman, Luis Buñuel, Akira Kurosawa, Jean Renoir, Jean-Luc Godard, and (we can't resist) Charlie Chaplin — are awaiting you. If you don't know who these fellas are, you're missing out.

Unless you forget to return your items on time, the price is right. So forget the old Chevy Chase flick or Animal House for the umpteenth time, and give La Dolce Vita or The Rules of the Game a gander, courtesy of one of our greatest institutions, the public library.