In their ongoing quest to provide relevant and accessible collections to their patrons, public libraries have come up with some nifty ways to make this happen.
Libraries mostly loan out books, but many have collections often called a Library of Things. These provide access to items that may otherwise be financially out of reach for some patrons.
Grand Prairie and Banff public libraries, for instance, have Tool Libraries where you can borrow the one tool you need for that one project.
Okotoks has a Library of Things that lends out snowshoes, ukuleles, and retro gaming consoles, to name but a few.
Here at Airdrie Public Library (APL), we’re not yet lending out tools or snowshoes, but we do loan out Chromebooks, iPads, Nintendo DS, and Switch game consoles.
We also have backpacks and kits aimed at preschool and school-aged children.
Think of the backpacks and kits as a library of accessible literacy tools.
With more than a dozen themes to choose from, you can borrow a backpack filled with books, games, toys, and activities that will help you teach your child basic concepts such as numbers, colours, the alphabet, emotions, shapes, and nature.
Some backpacks are designed specifically to introduce literacy to babies and others offer insight into the traditions and culture of Airdrie’s Métis and Treaty 7 peoples.
The kits are zippered mesh bags with themes on beading, sushi, sewing, parrots and more, all designed for a fun and educational story time with your child.
A recent addition to the collection is the Kindergarten Readiness Kits, which are intended to help prepare your preschooler for that first big step towards lifelong learning. They cover topics such as motor skills, reading and writing, math, and social and emotional readiness.
Each kit contains books, toys, games, and a parental guide.
For more information and these and other library resources, visit airdriepubliclibrary.ca
