Try something new with TRL’s Library of Things

Timberland Regional Library offers outdoor adventure, at-home assistance and a chance to try new hobbies with its Library of Things collection.

Timberland Regional Library (TRL) offers more than books, magazines, audibles and videos for checkout – area residents can also find a variety of kits, assistive devices and musical instruments.

"The Library of Things offers people a low barrier, risk-free opportunity to try out new interests or items,” said Timberland Regional Library Content and Access Director Andrea Heisel.

As an example, Heisel pointed out the new collection of musical instruments that can be checked out from the Yelm Timberland Library.

“If someone wants to try playing guitar, or the violin, to see if they would like to learn, they can do that without having to buy an instrument,” Heisel said.

Items that can be checked out include:

• Environmental Education Backpack kits, which contain a state park Discover pass, books on exploring nature, information on how to create nature journals, binoculars, a magnifying glass, a compass and a nature scavenger hunt game to play while exploring.
• Explore your Forest! Backpack kits, which contain a state park Discover pass, adult and youth binoculars, informational maps, a first aid kit to help explorers stay safe, a clip-on pedometer to track steps, a bug box to observe any bugs caught during the adventure and information on trail etiquette.
• Birding Backpacks, which include a state park Discover pass, two pairs of binoculars, an information booklet, birdwatching books and birding maps for the Puget Sound and Olympic Peninsula.
• Musical instruments, available only from the Yelm Timberland Library. Musical instruments that can be checked out include a guitar, cajon, ukulele, violin and guitalele, a guitar and ukulele hybrid. Instruments must be checked out and returned to the Yelm branch only.
• Light therapy lamps, which can be used to combat Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), sleep disorders or reduced exposure to sunlight. They can boost energy, improve mood and ease “winter blues” symptoms. Light therapy lamps are available at all TRL branches.
• Fishing rod and tackle box kit, available only at the Mountain View Timberland Library in Randle. This kit is offered in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services - Puget Sound and Olympic Peninsula Complex. This kit also includes a state park pass as well as rods, reels and tackle.

TRL also offers a wide variety of assistive devises for checkout. Devices are organized into categories of dressing, kitchen, household, reading and writing, leisure, communication, and computer access. Tools offered help with vision, hearing, mobility and communication.

TRL’s Library of Things collection started a few years ago with the Birding Backpacks, which were donated by the Black Hills Audobon Society, and other items have been gradually added to expand the collection, Heisel said.

“We have tried to think of things to include that make sense for our community,” she said.

Kits come with everything necessary to participate in the related activity, Heisel said.

"Something that is great about the backpack kits is that they provide people all of the tools needed in addition to the resources,” Heisel said, noting that all three kits include a state park Discover pass, binoculars and other tools that otherwise would have to be purchased for the activity.

To check out items from the Library of Things, TRL patrons must place a hold on the item. Once the patron gets a notification from their local library, they can pick up the item at Library Takeout curbside service or inside the building. All items can be checked out for up to three weeks.

Library of Things items cannot be renewed and they cannot be returned at a book drop. Many of the items can be sent to different branches for pick up.

Learn more about TRL’s Library of Things collection on the TRL website. Visit TRL.org for current information on mask requirements and library hours.

The above was provided by Timberland Regional Library.