Library service expansion in Lahnstein City: Introduction of a 'Library of Things' initiative
In a modern and family-friendly direction, Lahnstein City Library has expanded its services with the introduction of the Library of Things. This new initiative is based on the principle of the sharing economy, promoting sustainable sharing and communal use of things.
Mayor Lennart Siefert is enthusiastic about the new Library of Things, stating that it takes the library in a modern and family-friendly direction. The Library of Things helps avoid impulse buys and contributes to sustainability in daily life, while also allowing users to try out new learning and play materials before making a purchase decision.
All items offered by the Library of Things are easy to use, have few individual parts, and can be borrowed and returned without complication. The selection of items focuses on those that promote reading, language, and media skills through play. This includes interactive pens, talking figures, wireless children's headphones with audio chips, digital learning boxes, creative story theaters, multimedia globes, and various devices for playful language promotion.
The Library of Things is a complementary borrowing service for children, youth, and families within the New Multimedial Media project. Interested parties can visit Lahnstein City Library at Kaiserplatz 1 to discover the Library of Things.
The Library of Things operates according to the principles of sustainability, inclusivity, and meets the needs of young readers. It enables socially disadvantaged families access to diverse modern educational media.
Lahnstein City Library is open on Mondays and Fridays from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM, and on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM. New members can register in person at the library.
For more information about the Library of Things, visit www.lahnstein.de/stadtbuecherei.
Sources:
- Wood Dale Public Library’s Library of Things includes educational DVDs and video games for kids that aid in developing listening skills, imagination, emotional understanding, and problem-solving. Their Launchpads are pre-loaded tablets with apps that build early literacy, math, and problem-solving skills without requiring Wi-Fi, making learning accessible at home (source [1]).
- Westborough Public Library’s Library of Things includes STEM devices like microscopes and robots, along with other educational technology (e.g., Chromebooks, portable DVD players), which provide hands-on learning experiences for children and families (source [2]).
- The Metropolitan Library System supports educational engagement for children through library-provided computers with fun and educational games and online resources tailored for young learners to encourage literacy and developmentally appropriate learning (source [4]).
- Digital lending programs such as Baltimore County Public Library’s Long-Term Device Lending Program enable eligible families to borrow Wi-Fi enabled Chromebooks and hotspots. This bridges the digital divide, giving children and youth internet access and devices needed to engage with digital educational media and complete homework (source [3]).
The Library of Things at Lahnstein City Library extends its services beyond books, offering educational resources such as interactive pens, wireless children's headphones, digital learning boxes, and creative story theaters for a more immersive learning experience. This initiative contributes to home-and-garden lifestyle by promoting sustainable sharing and communal use of things, while also catering to education-and-self-development needs through the introduction of various devices for playful language promotion.
