It\u2019s an effort to expand the offerings of the public library, long known mostly as a place to check out books, movie DVDs and music CDs, said Christine Patten, Seminole County\u2019s library services manager.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s just another way of reaching people,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
It also comes as the circulation of traditional library materials and library visits has dropped nationwide. The library of things, an initiative used in other libraries across the country, aims to help change that.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we hope to do is provide physical things that help you develop new skills and experiential learning,\u201d Patten said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow cool is it to take a telescope outside, look at the moon. And then go get a book and read about it and say: \u2018Oh wow, I just saw that,\u2019\u201d she said while standing in front of a table covered with an assortment of items ready to be checked out at the Jean Rhein Central Branch Library in Casselberry.<\/p>\n
There were birding backpacks, ukuleles, small robotic balls that teach computer coding, blood pressure kits and a variety of American Girls dolls from a collection that teaches young students about history.<\/p>\n
The things can be borrowed by adults with valid library cards for two weeks \u2014 just like books. You\u2019ll also be charged a late fee if you don\u2019t return them on time.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not a new concept.<\/p>\n
The first Library of Things in the United States likely started more than a century ago when St. Louis residents could go to their local library in 1894 and borrow tennis rackets and board games, according to the Christian Science Monitor<\/a>. In the 1930s, the Los Angeles Public Library added thousands of used toys to its catalog.<\/p>\n But the initiative has seen a resurgence nationwide in recent years, as the public institutions try to offer more services to appeal to adults and children in the modern, fast-evolving digital age.<\/p>\n In 2013, the Sacramento Public Library in California<\/a> made a range of things, from energy meters to sewing machines to power tools, available to its patrons. That led to hundreds of libraries doing the same, after such initiatives won support from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, as part of a national campaign to reintroduce people to their community\u2019s libraries.<\/p>\n The Orange County Library System\u00a0<\/a>kicked off its version last year.\u00a0It currently offers a variety of kits to learn about the sciences and arts \u2014 including biology, pollinating insects, measuring light, crocheting and knitting. It also has blood pressure monitors and a disc golf set.<\/p>\n Public libraries across the country, including Seminole\u2019s, have been expanding offerings for learning \u2014 such as story time for children \u2014 as a way to show their value to the community, according to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences<\/a>.<\/p>\n
![\"Seminole](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/tos-l-library-of-things-2.jpg\")
Seminole County commissioners and Seminole County Library leaders at the Jean Rhein Central Branch in Casselberry show off some of the collection of non-traditional items that are available to borrow at no cost with a library card on Monday, August 31, 2026. Pictured from left to right are Library Public Services Manager Kathi Efland; Seminole County commissioners Bob Dallari, Amy Lockhart and Lee Constantine; and Library Services Division Manager Christine Patten. (Rich Pope\/Orlando Sentinel)<\/p>\n