Library of things

Balls for ball games is an example of sporting equipment which can be lent
Skiing equipment

A library of things is any collection of objects loaned, and any organization that practices such loaning. Objects often include kitchen appliances, tools, gardening equipment and seeds,[1] electronics,[2] toys and games, art,[3] science kits, craft supplies, musical instruments, and recreational equipment such as sports and outdoors gear.[4] Especially appropriate are objects that are useful occasionally but cumbersome to store, such as specialized cookware or niche technology items.[5] Collections vary widely, but go far beyond the books, journals, and media that have been the primary focus of traditional libraries.[6]

The library of things movement is a growing trend in public, academic and special libraries in many countries.[7][8] There are also free-standing organizations separate from libraries, such as tool libraries, toy libraries, community sharing centers,[9] independent non-profits, and individual initiatives. The term 'Library of Things' was popularized by a grassroots experiment started in London in 2014, themselves inspired by Toronto Tool Library.

The Share Shed (Totnes, UK) is developing the first mobile library of things. Collections are often supported by educational programming and public events.[10] These borrowing centers and library collections are part of the sharing economy.[11]

In Wales, Benthyg Cymru have developed a network to support each other sharing knowledge not just things.

  1. ^ Landgraf, Greg (5 January 2015). "Not Your Garden-Variety Library". American Libraries Magazine. Retrieved 19 July 2017.
  2. ^ "Start Your Own Mobile Device-Lending Program". TechSoup for Libraries. Retrieved 19 July 2017.
    - Rosales, Romeo (25 February 2016). "Check Out a Library Hotspot » Public Libraries Online". publiclibrariesonline.org. Retrieved 19 July 2017.
  3. ^ Collie, Victoria. "Borrowing Art @ The Library » Public Libraries Online". publiclibrariesonline.org. Archived from the original on 2013-11-13. Retrieved 19 July 2017.
  4. ^ Brown, Patricia Leigh (14 September 2015). "These Public Libraries Are for Snowshoes and Ukuleles". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 1 August 2017.
  5. ^ Williams, Casey (29 April 2016). "How Libraries -- Yes, Libraries -- Are Helping People Ditch Stuff They Don't Need". Huffington Post. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
  6. ^ Mead, Brian; Dankowski, Terra (1 June 2017). "The Library of Things". American Libraries Magazine. Retrieved 19 July 2017.
  7. ^ Johnson, Cat (June 15, 2016). "The Library of Things: 8 Spaces Changing How We Think About Stuff". shareable.net. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
  8. ^ Robison, Mark; Shedd, Lindley (2017). Audio Recorders to Zucchini Seeds. Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited. ISBN 978-1-4408-5019-6.
  9. ^ "All the things you need, right around the corner". thethingery.com. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
  10. ^ Cassidy, Charles (15 November 2012). "Can I Check This Out? : Circulating Collections Beyond Books, CDs, and DVDs". Public Libraries Online. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
  11. ^ Figueroa, Miguel (6 October 2014). "Sharing Economy". American Libraries. Retrieved 1 August 2017.