Ever since I was young, I have been a penny-pincher. I loosened my spending slightly as an adult (fancy coffee has a way of convincing me to treat myself every time) but my first impulse with a question of buying is, “Do I have to?” When something breaks at home, I ask myself, “Do I have to call someone, or is this something I can fix?”

Now, I am no electrician, and some projects are just too big for an amateur, but last summer I found myself with a small problem I thought I could tackle. My bathroom faucet was dripping.

We live in a wonderful age of internet access at our fingertips. Type “bathroom faucet dripping” into Google, however, and you face an overwhelming number of results: about 1.2 million videos and links. I had no idea where to start. What kind of faucet did I even have? Well, I work in a library, and so I bet you can guess what I did next.

Bingo! I now had the language necessary to narrow those numerous search results.

I found the Home Improvement Reference Center on the Library’s website about a week earlier. Here was the perfect opportunity to test it out. The site divides thousands of reference books, projects and magazines into simple categories. All I had to do was go to the “Plumbing” section, then “Bathroom,” “Sinks & Faucets” and finally “Repairing Faucets.” Bingo! I now had the language necessary to narrow those numerous search results.

The guide helped me dismantle the faucet and find the small parts in need of replacement. Yes, I did spray water in my face cartoonishly, but only once! Fixing the leak cost me less than $5 and an afternoon.

When the kitchen faucet handle started to come loose the next week, I actually felt excited. Another look at the Library’s resources and I fixed the faucet in less than an hour. I had no water in my face this time and plenty of bragging rights. A disclaimer: These were both small problems. I urge anyone with major plumbing issues or electrical problems of any kind to consult a professional. But if you’re interested in a little DIY and money saving on a simple problem, consider giving your Library a call.

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