Libraries Are Lending More Than Just Books
- 10 years ago
Across the United States libraries are offering patrons a wide range of options beyond books to be taken out.
Some libraries across the country are attempting to keep up with the times by offering options besides books to be checked out.
In Ann Arbor, Michigan, a library loans out telescopes, musical instruments and art. In Oakland, California, patrons can borrow tools, and a library in Skokie, Illinois offers digital equipment such as GoPro cameras.
These libraries are trying to keep up with the needs of their communities, needs which go beyond books.
Before committing to a fishing pole or a set of knitting needles and yarn, it's helpful for a patron to take the items out from a library and test them first.
Not only is this useful everyday, but especially during economic hard times, when something like a lawnmower would be too expensive to purchase. Instead, one can be loaned out from the library.
The deputy director at the Ann Arbor District Library said that in order for an item to qualify for the "Unusual Stuff to Borrow" collection, it must meet three guidelines: it must be too expensive to buy on a whim, able to be used a lot in seven days, but isn't an item you use often.
Just like books, libraries lend these objects out free of charge. A late fee may be more expensive than a book though, depending on how much an object is worth.
The learning experiences manager at the Skokie library said of the different items available, "It changes the paradigm of what a library is, they're not just a warehouse for books."
Some libraries across the country are attempting to keep up with the times by offering options besides books to be checked out.
In Ann Arbor, Michigan, a library loans out telescopes, musical instruments and art. In Oakland, California, patrons can borrow tools, and a library in Skokie, Illinois offers digital equipment such as GoPro cameras.
These libraries are trying to keep up with the needs of their communities, needs which go beyond books.
Before committing to a fishing pole or a set of knitting needles and yarn, it's helpful for a patron to take the items out from a library and test them first.
Not only is this useful everyday, but especially during economic hard times, when something like a lawnmower would be too expensive to purchase. Instead, one can be loaned out from the library.
The deputy director at the Ann Arbor District Library said that in order for an item to qualify for the "Unusual Stuff to Borrow" collection, it must meet three guidelines: it must be too expensive to buy on a whim, able to be used a lot in seven days, but isn't an item you use often.
Just like books, libraries lend these objects out free of charge. A late fee may be more expensive than a book though, depending on how much an object is worth.
The learning experiences manager at the Skokie library said of the different items available, "It changes the paradigm of what a library is, they're not just a warehouse for books."