PITTSBURGH -- Gas prices gouging, the stock market dipping, subprime mortgages sinking.

These are the days of wallet tightening.

But there’s a quiet place of refuge where one simple card holds the key to a ton of free stuff.

Things are changing at your local library.

Yes, it still has books for borrowing at no charge, but now a long list of other freebies can be found.

The main library at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh offers more than 30,000 compact discs spanning from classical genres to the Rolling Stones and even hip-hop. Listening to just six CDs a year at the library will save about $90.

Going to the library rather than renting a movie once a week could save another $360. The selection includes everything from feature films to “how-to” videos.

"It gives a great deal. You get a VHS for three weeks for free or a DVD for a week for free," said Mickey Newman. "No video rental stores offer a deal that good."

Surfing the World Wide Web can cost another $43 per month.

That’s not a problem at the Carnegie Library.

"I come here mostly because I like to use the computers a lot," said R.J. Nesbitt. "I get free Internet service."

The latest video games for the Nintendo Wii and PlayStation 3 can also be found without spending hundreds of dollars.

There’s even a teen challenge program for some friendly competition.

Free concerts, crafts programs, discussion groups and poetry readings are also offered.

The sagging economy has the library making a comeback with something for all ages and all occasions.

“If you are taking a road trip and want to listen to a good book on the way or study jazz or play games, we have something to appeal to all age groups,” said assistant director Sheila Jackson.