MADL’s Library of Things

Once in a while, I meet non-library users. They may be bringing their children in, or maybe they're tagging along with their spouse. Whenever I spot someone wandering, I check in with them and see if I can help them find anything, and I sometimes receive a reply like "No, thanks, I'm just with my husband, I'm not into books". Obviously, I and the rest of the staff at MADL love books and encourage everyone of all ages to read, but I'm not offended by those that don't read books.

In addition to non-books that we've carried for a long time (films and TV shows on DVD, audiobooks on CD, and music on CD), we've been building a collection we refer to as our Library of Things, or "LoT"). All of our branches have some items, and like a book, you can place a hold for items to be sent though our inter-branch delivery for pickup at the branch most convenient for you. Also like a book, checkouts are for three weeks, with up to two automatic renewals. Perhaps the most important part about being like a book, is that LoT items are FREE to check out! 

There are plenty of things you might need once in a while. Or, some things are a bit too expensive to justify. Maybe you're thinking of investing in something and want to try it out first. Our LoT collection was created with those things in mind. Looking for a board game to play with the family visiting from out of town? We have 86 to choose from. Learning activities for children, including those connected with STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math)? We have 54. Need to monitor your blood pressure? Thanks to a partnership with the American Heart Association, we have 40 portable monitors. Need to catch up on a show only available through Disney+, Hulu+, or Max? We have nine Roku streaming sticks with those subscriptions. Friends invited you camping for the weekend and need a tent? We have a four person Columbia tent. Going to the beach and want to try to find some treasure? We have six metal detectors. Want to show a basketball game on a big screen in the backyard? We have two portable projectors and screens. Have old slides, negatives, or VHS tapes? We have two slide viewers, a slide projector, two film and slide scanners, a digital video converter, and two VCRs. Need to peek inside a wall? We have a borescope camera. Concerned about radon? We have a radon level detector. Check engine light on in your car? We have an OBDII code scanner. Hanging a TV and need to find studs in a wall? We have a stud finder.

Due to a generous donation in 2023, the North Muskegon Branch has one of the earliest and most extensive LoT collections among the MADL branches. Music has changed considerably throughout the years, and to reflect that, we have close to 100 albums on vinyl and several record players. Our Friends group, the Friends of the Walker Memorial Library, helped to purchase a couple of our record players.

These are just some of the items we have in our LoT collection. Each branch has a binder that you can browse with all items available, or you can view the collection online at https://madl.org/library-of-things/

The library has something for everyone, including those that aren't book readers, and our Library of Things collection is one of the many ways we serve the needs of our communities.