It's been a long journey with a lot of twists and turns, but we're finally ready to make a huge announcement: We're officially adding a Library of Things to our catalog, opening September 2!
If you're not familiar with the term, the "library of things" (or "LoT," for short) is simply an evolution of services we already offer. Just like we lend books, movies, video games, and so on, the LoT is a lending system for less typical items. Some of these have been selected based directly on needs y'all have expressed to us, while others are intended to satisfy needs we've observed on our own, and some are just meant to be fun and interesting!
The Library of Things is a great way to try new hobbies or activities without getting deeply invested (either financially or emotionally), since you can borrow the equipment needed to take that chance. For instance, lots of people took up baking and cooking during the COVID-19 quarantine a few years ago, for reasons ranging from budget to time to a shift in how many family members were at home for meals. However, not everyone had (or still has) equal access to appliances or even basics like cookie sheets, nonstick mats, mixing machines, etc. If you're one of those folks—or if you're just trying your hand in the kitchen for the first time—you'll be able to borrow many of the tools you need to get started from our Library of Things. Whether you wind up enjoying yourself or discover it's not for you, it costs you nothing to find out so that you know what comes next.
This is also a resource for those of y'all who might need something specific for a project, chore, or job, but just once in a while (or once, period). For example, some people need a stud finder every day because it's critical to what they do, so of course they've got their own. On the other hand, if you're just doing a one-off renovation in your own home, you probably don't keep a stud finder in the drawer. Considering why you need it, you might have no desire to purchase one (especially if you're not sure whether you'll ever use it again) or may simply not be in a position to do so. Having one in our Library of Things means you can check it out for your project and simply turn it back in once you're done, so you can avoid both problems.
Right now, our LoT catalog covers:
- Board games (lots of fun, but sometimes expensive to try, especially if you don't know if you'll like one)
- Bakeware (perhaps something you only need around the holidays, etc.)
- Small appliances (like a hand mixer, which not everyone needs every day)
- Technology (such as telescopes, microscopes, moisture meters, and more)
- Entertainment devices (starting with a collection of Roky sticks featuring streaming services like Fandango and Shudder)
- Arts and crafts gear (like a sewing kit, hot glue gun, soldering iron, yarn winder, etc.)
- Educational items (such as collapsible traffic cones for practicing your driver's test)
- Health and wellness equipment (blood pressure cuffs, sensory kits, and similar)
- Tools and automotive gear (like extension cords, hand drills, vehicle battery chargers for long trips)
...and more! The list goes on.
To conclude: A huge shoutout to Allie, Heather, Linda, and everyone else who's worked very hard behind the scenes to make this dream come true—especially CJ, who's been the driving force behind this addition to our services and has coordinated all our efforts to roll the LoT out to y'all.
You'll be able to explore our Library of Things and start borrowing items Tuesday, September 2. This is new for us, too, so please be patient as we tackle some new lending procedures and work out the kinks in our process! We're also open to suggestions, and the LoT is intended to grow and change along with out community, so be sure to let us know your needs (or about that cool thing you saw at another library).
What do you think you'll check out first?