The DFL currently experiments with hobby, STEAM, and Technology kits that are housed both in the adult section and the kids room. These kits include musical instruments, video equipment, puzzles, cake plans, robots, looms, and more available for checkout. The kits are bought using our Amazon prime account, under the supervision of the head of circulation using a special makerspace kit budget and backed up by a kit committee made up of various departments to streamline the process.
The kits with the most holds by far have been the Retro Nintendo and Super Nintendo Classic which were small batch pre-Christmas releases for the last two years. Rather than blowing the dirt out of your old cartridges, these consoles have games built in for your playing pleasure. According to Walmart, the Nintendo "classics" are on sale as of today. Our kit contains a small palm sized console, 2 controllers (try to upgrade wireless ones if you can), an ac adapter, and, I recommend, a carrying case. Poor circulation department doesn't have to count 100 knitting needles on this one.
We also purchased Encrhoma Color Blind Corrective Glasses. We are hoping with the large price tag ($300+), patrons would be more likely to try before they buy. The glasses don't work for everyone. We got red/green colorblind corrective since my boyfriend became the test subject for them. Unfortunately they didn't work for him! Good thing I didn't buy them as a birthday present. Only 5 checkouts since June but we do keep them behind the desk rather than out on the floor due to the cost. They need to be worn for at least a week to experience the changes so be sure to consider that when determining how long the kits can be circulated to a specific patron.
I just saw Berkshire Athenaeum bought Snapchat Spectacles which aren't cheap either with a $200 price tag. These look like regular sunglasses but they have built in cameras to record video and sync to your phone. We're hoping to get those sometime in the future. The charger is built into the Spectacle 2 case which is genius! We have trouble with our Gopro, which is also popular, but comes back missing pieces all the time. Hopefully these will be a better solution.
In the kids room our Code-a-pillar is our latest addition as well as a boy doll for our "American Girl Doll" collection (we get them the dolls from Target's "Generation" collection). Despite bad reviews of the code-a-pillar breaking quickly, it has been working fine for us so far.
*update on Code-a-pillar as of 11/15* It broke. Major design flaw: it is not recommended to go on carpet! The customer service reps were great in getting us a free replacement however I don't think it will last long if it is a preschool toy not meant to be used on rugs where children play. The hair from someone's carpet got caught around the head wheel and it burnt out the motor in less than 4 circulations.
*update on Code-a-pillar as of 11/15* It broke. Major design flaw: it is not recommended to go on carpet! The customer service reps were great in getting us a free replacement however I don't think it will last long if it is a preschool toy not meant to be used on rugs where children play. The hair from someone's carpet got caught around the head wheel and it burnt out the motor in less than 4 circulations.
Some things to think about when purchasing kits:
1. Packaging? Most of ours live in Tupperware bins of various sizes.
2. Number of items? Check with circulation and make sure there's a handy labeled picture to help guide them not just an item list. What does the ac adapter look like?
3. Does it have batteries or other things that will need to be replaced (consumables)?
4. Who is going to re-order consumables and what budget will it come from? For example, who is going to restring the ukulele every year? or when a string breaks?
5. Best place to store them? They must be easily seen by the patron and at the same time you might want employee supervision as well. Right now they live near circulation between our DVD collection and new adult books and audio. It's a very high traffic area.We're also thinking of putting call-out advertisements in with the adult nonfiction to led patrons to the kits.
6. What to call the collection? Kits? Unusual Objects? Library of Things? We are thinking of doing a patron google survey to determine this. Right now it is called Unusual Objects but are knitting needles really unusual?
Share with us the most unusual thing you have in your collection!
Thankss for a great read
ReplyDelete