VILLAGE OF FAYETTEVILLE – The Fayetteville Free Library has debuted a new collection of objects that can be loaned out to its patrons.
The recently unveiled Library of Things collection is an assortment of materials for borrowing that are not traditionally focused on by libraries.
The collection includes easy-to-operate robots for those interested in doing some at-home STEM learning. That includes programmable Bee-Bots and Tale-Bot Pros, a Wonder Workshop Dash, and a Code-a-Pillar—a grouping of items that teach directionality, fundamentals of coding, and hands-on sequencing.
There are other educational items like a LeapFrog talking globe to provide a better understanding of geography and a music box that tells imaginative audio stories for young children.
Also, the collection contains tools for completing do-it-yourself tasks around the house, like a laser measuring device, a stud finder, and moving kits complete with a dolly and lifting straps. For outside the household when someone is on the go, there’s an on-board diagnostics scanner that checks for malfunctions in a car, and there are power meters that can be paired with bicycles to calculate the torque applied by a cyclist.
The Library of Things additionally has digitization materials like a VHS-to-digital file converter and a digitizer for photo negatives.
Other items include a microscope, binoculars, and a metal detector, and there’s a section for lending various musical instruments, from acoustic and electric guitars to an electric piano, a recorder, and a cello.
There will also be passes available for places like New York State parks, the Everson Museum of Art, the MOST in Armory Square, the Rosamond Gifford Zoo, and other sites for nature lovers like Jamesville Beach, Beaver Lake, Highland Forest and Pratt’s Falls.
Anyone with a valid Onondaga County Public Library card can borrow items from the Fayetteville Free Library’s Things collection.
To check something out, patrons are asked to stop by the library’s front desk and find the corresponding case representing the item they’re wishing to borrow, at which point a library staff member will retrieve the matching item from the workroom cabinet where it’s being stored.
Most of the items in the FFL Library of Things can be borrowed for a period of one week without the possibility for an immediate renewal. Musical instruments can be borrowed for three weeks with up to two renewals, while park, zoo and museum passes can be taken out for up to three days at a time.
Items cannot be put on hold, so if someone wants to check out a specific item, they can call the library at 315-637-6374 before they head over to make sure it’s available at that given moment.
The items all have user guides attached, info on any additional mobile apps needed, and QR codes linking to related instructional videos.
The cases for the items list the individual parts included so people know what they’re getting and what to bring back, and the loan period is also specified.
Mike Cimino, the STEAM educator and Makerspace manager at the library, said the new collection being shared with the public allows people to sample the items as a way of satisfying curiosity they may have.
He said the collection is “breaking down barriers” because someone might only need a particular item once or twice but would face financial hurdles in purchasing it.
“When it comes to the educational things, like these robots, they’re not the cheapest things, so it could be an investment for somebody,” Cimino said. “So you might as well just try it before you go out and dive in and purchase one.”
Cimino added that he and other staff members at the library have used every one of the items already and that they’d put their stamp of approval on everything contained in the collection.
Going forward, it’s the intention of the library to host a series of informational programs that go through how to use the digitization technology and other items one by one.
“Then the public can kind of see how to use any of these things and see if they’re interested in it, and then of course check it out or get on the waitlist for it,” Cimino said.
Cimino also said that the library will be looking at the collection as something that can be revamped. With that, the staff will be taking requests for what to add to the Library of Things so that the collection grows over time.