Audio Recorders to Zucchini Seeds: Building a Library of Things

This exploration of the range of options for a "library of things" collection demonstrates what has been implemented successfully and offers practical insights regarding these nontraditional projects, from the development of concepts to the everyday realities of maintaining these collections. What services libraries provide and how they function in their communities is constantly being reconsidered and redefined. One example of this is the trend of experimenting with building circulating collections of nonliterary "things"—such as tools, seeds, cooking equipment, bicycles, household machinery, and educational materials—by drawing on traditional library functions and strengths of acquisition, organization, and circulation. Audio Recorders to Zucchini Seeds: Building a Library of Things enables you to consider the feasibility of creating a specific type of "thing" collection in your library and get practical advice about the processes necessary to successfully launch and maintain it, from planning and funding to circulation, promotion, and upkeep. This contributed volume provides a survey of "library of things" projects within the United States, from both public and academic libraries, offering real-world lessons learned from these early experiments with nontraditional collections. The authors offer practical insights from their projects, from the development of their initial ideas to the everyday realities of maintaining and circulating these collections, including cataloging, space needs, safety concerns, staff training, circulation, marketing, and assessment. The contributed chapters are organized thematically, covering "things" collections that encompass a wide variety of objects first, followed by collections with a community-building focus (seeds, recreation, tools) and those that serve an educational purpose, such as curriculum centers, children's toys, or collections that support a university curriculum. The last section addresses collections that support media production.

Table of Contents:
Acknowledgments Introduction PART I: HISTORY 1—A History of Things Collections: From Specialized Precursors to Present-Day Diversity Mark Robison and Lindley Shedd PART II: THINGS COLLECTIONS IN PUBLIC LIBRARIES 2—Measure Twice, Cut Once: A Long-Lasting Tool Lending Library in Berkeley Adam Broner 3—Book-a-Bike: Increasing Access to Physical Activity with a Library Card James Hill 4—The LibraryFarm Jill Youngs 5—Seed Libraries: Lend a Seed, Grow a Community René Tanner and Betsy Goodman 6—The Real Toy Story: A Toy Lending Collection Sue Kirschner 7—Create, Share, Play: Sacramento's Library of Things Michelle Coleman Alvarado, Justin Azevedo, and Amy Calhoun PART III: THINGS COLLECTIONS IN ACADEMIC LIBRARIES 8—Technology and Small College Libraries: Trying to Be Everything to Everyone Brian Burns 9—Providing Hands-On Teacher Preparation: Collecting and Maintaining Curriculum Materials Jennifer Harvey and Rochelle Hunt Krueger 10—Loaning Technology and Media Production Equipment Shelly McCoy 11—Faculty/Librarian Collaboration in the Age of Media: Building a Collection of Media Services to Support the Integration of Video Production into the Curriculum Mitchell Shuldman 12—Going Beyond Books: Lendable Technology, Interdisciplinary Innovation, and the Revitalization of an Academic Library Tara Radniecki and Patrick "Tod" Colegrove 13—Building Game Collections in Academic Libraries: A Case Study at the University of North Texas Diane Robson, Sue Parks, and Erin DeWitt Miller 14—Seeing and Hearing the World in New Ways: VCU's Collection of Scopes and Other Instruments Eric D. M. Johnson PART IV: SPECIAL LIBRARIES 15—Things Collections, Alaska-Style: Furs, Skulls, Mounts Celia Rozen, Helen Woods, and Ed Kazzimir PART V: BEST PRACTICES 16—Best Practices: Building Your Own Library of Things Lindley Shedd and Mark Robison Appendix A: General Maintenance of Hand and Electric Tools Appendix B: Book-a-Bike Lending Agreement Appendix C: Book-a-Bike Parental or Legal Guardian Consent Appendix D: Book-a-Bike Safety Inspection Checklist Appendix E: Seed Return Form Appendix F: Draft Agreement for Housing, Maintenance, and Circulation of Collection of Skulls, Furs, and Bird Mounts Appendix G: Catalog Information for Furs, Mounts, and Skulls Collection Appendix H: Furs, Mounts, and Skulls Collection/Educational Science Kits Statement of Responsibility About the Editors and Contributors Index

About the Author :
Mark Robison is assistant professor of library services at Valparaiso University in Indiana. Lindley Shedd is associate professor and media services coordinator at The University of Alabama Libraries, where she manages the unit that circulates multimedia production gear, such as camcorders, lighting, and audio gear.

Review :
This interesting book provides information and case studies on the 'things' movement in libraries library collections centered around lending items other than books. . . . I haven't seen a book like this before, so I highly recommend it for all libraries, given that the case studies include public, special, and academic library examples. With this well-written, insightful work, editors Robison and Shedd examine one of the newest trends in librarianship: the things collection. . . . VERDICT A valuable resource for public or academic librarians. Could also be useful for LIS students. This compendium of experiences offers a clear and practical set of examples that can inspire librarians to develop their own community-based library of things.