Library of Things: Check out more than books at the library!

Posted on January 11, 2018 at 6:00 am

Of course, you probably already know you can check out music, movies, magazines, and audiobooks at the library. But did you know we have telescopes, educational toys, and tools for check out?

Over the last few years, the Library District has been adding more and more non-book items to our collection to help our customers learn, work, create, and thrive. As the Library of Things collection continues to grow, you’ll find interesting new “things” to explore, like our Museum & Cultural Passes.

Our full Library of Things collection is returning sometime in 2022. Until then, you can check out our STEM kits and book bags for kids from our catalog.

For Kids & Families

We have activity kits for kids and families. The “Family Math and Science” kits and the “Ready for School with STEM” kits each contain a book, an activity guide, and toys or manipulatives—blocks, coins, puzzles, and so on—that help demonstrate a concept for preschool-aged children and their families. For older kids, take home a Snap Circuits kit to build projects and experiment with electricity. Or check out a telescope to examine the solar system from where you live.

For Adults

Check out an “Avista Energy Efficiency” kit to help you track down the energy vampires in your home and save money on your electric bill. For the DIY and crafting crowd, we have recently added upholstery kits and bottle cutters to the Library of Things. These items are returning sometime in 2022.

Specialty Things

Our Library of Things also offers some larger, specialty items that require a special reservation: video production equipment, a classroom set of Snap Circuits, a 10-tub set of LEGO bricks, family construction zone blocks (so big they fill a small vehicle), and skull replicas from the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History. These items require reservation and will be available sometime in 2022.

When our new checkout system for the Library of Things is ready in 2022, we invite you to explore and discover something new and to pursue your hobbies and interests!

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