Library of Things Collection: Study of a public library tool lending collection

Lamb, Amanda

Söderholm, J. (2015). Borrowing tools from the public library. Journal of Documentation. 72(1), 140-155.

Many library collections are moving beyond traditional constraints. Library of Things collections, especially, are breaking new ground with circulating seeds, musical instruments, games, crafting kits, and tools. But why do patrons borrow “things?” This study explores this research question as applied to borrowing tools. The results? In addition to borrowing tools to enhance community and for paid work, patrons also wanted to learn and acquire skills through a public service. Public libraries can (and do!) pair unique Library of Things offerings with instructional opportunities. Patrons expressed a strong sense of community support in borrowing tools. They mentioned home and neighborhood improvement as well as a notion of sustainable community development. Patrons weigh several considerations before checking out a tool from the tool lending library: access and usage, cost, tool type, library vs private borrowing, and political and ideological motivations.

A Library of Things is a vibrant example of user-led collection development. Is there a community quilting group? What equipment does this group share because it is difficult to own? Can the library purchase any equipment to support this need? The potential for this collection seems limitless (within reason). How about a circulating seed collection for a garden club? Could a collection of circulating games support a teen gaming group?  What do users want to learn and what equipment do they need? Collection development for a Library of Things definitely raises some eyebrows. How does one clean and maintain equipment effectively? Do you trust patrons to check these items out and return them well? Beyond the logistical questions, those developing collections could and should ask what benefits the library and its community could enjoy by trying something new in a collection like this. At our Oregon library, a young patron checked out a radar gun from the Library of Things collection to measure the speed of the rides at a local community festival. His family sent photos of this experience to the library which were shared across social media. The positive impact of a Library of Things item can be far reaching indeed.

Friends of the Oakland Public School Libraries: Building Bridges to the Local Community

Ramirez, Carmina

Kaun, T. tomkaun@gmail. co. (2014). Friends of the Oakland Public School Libraries: Building Bridges to the Local Community. CSLA Journal, 38(1), 20–23. Retrieved from

http://libaccess.sjlibrary.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lls&AN=109348275&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Due to reduced funding for library resources and staff, the Oakland Public School Libraries relied on the help of volunteers to build their book collections. This group of volunteers mainly focused on expanding the library collections by acquiring books through community donations. But noticing that school libraries in the district needed much more, the volunteers created a non-profit named Friends of the Oakland School Libraries whose mission became to fully refurbish all fourteen libraries in the school district. They are also ensuring that all libraries are up to date and they advocate for quality trained staff. Out of 47 sites they have helped refurbish 26 library spaces and others are being evaluated for updates. The group has accessed grants to fund their work. This is a great example of partnerships helping libraries while advocating for much needed certified library staff.

This article is a reminder of the urgent need for more library certificated staff. It is phenomenal what a community has been able to accomplish when they come together with a clear goal. But it should be a message that although the community its providing what is needed, more has to be invested from public funds to support library services.

Keeping Your Library Collection Smelling F.R.E.S.H!

Hulten, Alicia

LaGarde, J. (2013, October 1). Keeping Your Library Collection Smelling F.R.E.S.H! [Blog post]. Retrieved from http://www.librarygirl.net/2013/10/keeping-your-library-collection.html

Summary: Jennifer LaGarde is a teacher librarian with over 20 years’ experience in public education. In this online article, she offers several reasons why it is important to weed the school library’s collection. It is easy to imagine the difficulty of getting rid of old, dated books especially when you have an already small collection and insufficient funding to replace those books. However, holding on to outdated can be detrimental to a well-built library collection in several ways.

• Misinformation: Material that is out of date could contain misinformation and do more harm than good. For example, LaGarde found a reference book that said “scientists do not believe HIV is transmitted through sexual content”[sic] (LaGarde, 2013). It is important to ensure library shelves are free of old materials which may contain this and other kinds of misinformation. 

• Text poor: These books are often text feature poor. Newer books contain captions, diagrams, bullet points, sidebars, and fact boxes. These text features help students learn and retain information more readily.

• A books cover: Readers in fact do judge a book by its cover. Students who see a book that looks dated and/or is in disrepair, then will most likely not want to check it out. Today’s readers want colorful, glossy covers that have eye-catching art/photos.

• The times they are a-changin’: Older books reflect the time in which they were written. As librarians we have to make sure our nonfiction books are equitable and reflect modern viewpoints. Likewise, fiction and picture books should be reflective of the diverse population of the school and the larger community.

• Small but mighty: It is better to have a smaller collection of newer, high interest books, than rows and rows of old, dated books. Holding on to old collections could give library visitors the impression that the library is outdated and obsolete.

The article also includes a link to an entertaining video of CSLA’s Book Cart Drill Team performing “Weed It!” to the tune of Michael Jackson’s “Beat It!” Lagarde also provides a helpful flyer that can be downloaded as a PDF. The flyer offers tips for keeping your library’s collection F.R.E.S.H. She asks the following questions:

Does it Foster a love of reading?

Does it Reflect your diverse population?

Does it reflect an Equitable point of view?

Does it Support the curricula?

Is it a High-quality text?

If the answer is no to any one of these questions, then Lagarde claims the book must go.

Opinion: This article offers a concise and clear reminder of why it is so important to weed old books out of the school library. She makes a valid point that holding on to out of date materials can hinder a library’s function as a place where the love of reading is cultivated and grows. Fostering this love of reading within a school library can be difficult if the collection consists of books that students do not want to check out. LaGarde’s article provides a fresh look at weeding, and a good reminder to school librarians that weeding is not only important but necessary.