A public library is foundational for a community in that it provides a safe place of learning, collaboration, and freedom of discovery. A participatory library focuses heavily on collaboration so as to provide the best level of service to their community members. As Michael Casey discusses, “the participatory library engages and queries its entire community and seeks to integrate them into the structure of change” this highlights the importance of including the community in the decision-making practices of the library (Casey, 2011).
A collaboration that is becoming more common practice among public libraries is the Library of Things. These collections act as a community resource where patrons can utilize tools and machines such as gardening equipment, sewing materials, etc. For patrons who may not be able to afford these materials or who may not want to purchase them for their own homes, can come to the library and rent these items in a similar fashion to renting a library book.
The Yorba Linda Public Library has utilized their own Library of Things. The categories that fall under the Library of Things are DIY + Craft, Games + Recreation, Gardening, Music, Tech + Learning, and Young Learners library. Items that patrons can check out include keyboards, video games for various gaming consoles, sewing machines, record players, etc. This diverse array of options allows for patrons to have the opportunity to learn new hobbies and new skills (Yorba Linda Public Library, 2024).
The Sacramento Public Library offers patrons the opportunity to rent a GoPro to film outdoor adventures. Examples of items in their Library of Things catalog are a blood pressure wrist monitor, a KitchenAid Ice Cream Maker attachment, a KitchenAid Stand mixer, a telescope, and many more items to encourage exploration and learning (Sacramento Public Library, 2024). The Library of Things also serves to reduce the carbon footprints within communities by lowering the number of products consumed by the community.
The “sharing economy” that a Library of Things provides has become more and more of an attractive model. With the current economy becoming more expensive and more people having less and less disposable income, this sharing economy model helps alleviate stress that can come with the need of having such items (Ameli, 2017). Something as simple as a KitchenAid mixer can put someone in financial stress. However, if a library has it amongst the items in its catalog; this has now provided a service to the community that would not be seen as a common request. Library of Things collections in public libraries are an example of how public libraries are evolving as technology and people evolve in the world around us.
Covid-19 was a prime example of how much this collection could valued by patrons. Due to the pandemic, many people lost their jobs and therefore, their source of income. While a Library of Things may not help them with rent, it could provide them with laptops and hotspots to search for jobs, fill out applications and complete interviews. Libraries were able to turn a horrendous world event into an evaluation of how they could better serve their patrons. This is why it is so important for public libraries to emulate the participatory model and work in collaboration with their community.
Ameli, N. (2017). Libraries of Things as a new form of sharing. Pushing the Sharing Economy. The Design Journal, 20(sup1), S3294-S3304.
Casey, M. (2011, October 20). Revisiting Participatory Service in Trying Times – a TTW Guest Post by Michael Casey. Tame the Web. https://tametheweb.com/2011/10/20/revisiting-participatory-service-in-trying-times-a-ttw-guest-post-by-michael-casey/
(n.d.). Library of Things. Sacramento Public Library. Retrieved June 22, 2024, from https://www.saclibrary.org/Books-Media/Specialty-Checkouts/Library-of-Things
(n.d.). Library of Things. Yorba Linda Public Library. Retrieved June 22, 2024, from https://www.ylpl.org/things/
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