The Library of Things at Brewster Ladies’ Library

If you are summering on Cape Cod in the vicinity of Brewster, we invite you to stop in to see our Library of Things. What is a Library of Things, you might ask? A Library of Things is a collection of nontraditional items (i.e., not books) that are available for loan for 1 to 2 weeks, depending on the item. The Library of Things is growing at Brewster Ladies’ Library (BLL), and we have many “things” to make your time memorable on the Cape.

What You Will Find in the Library of Things

One of the most popular items in our Library of Things is our Wi-Fi hotspots. If you are in a place where it is difficult to connect to the internet, you’re outdoors camping, or even if you’re concerned about losing power, one of our Wi-Fi hotspots can help. We charge the hotspots before checking them out to a patron, so they are ready to use without plugging them into an outlet. Hotspots can only be borrowed for one week, but many people have told us they are a lifesaver.

“Things” for Rainy Days and Sundays

If the forecast calls for rain, or guests are visiting over the weekend, you might need more entertainment options. If you like electronics, we have video games for all ages, a karaoke machine to show off your singing voice, and a portable boombox to play your favorite CDs.

If your group enjoys board games, you can borrow a variety from BLL’s Library of Things. We have games for all ages and skill levels to keep you, your guests, and children entertained. For board games, we have some favorites like chess, cribbage, mancala, Monopoly (Disney Edition), and Yahtzee.

We also have newer games like Bananagrams (an award-winning game of words and letters), Ecologies (where you build and maintain food webs in diverse biomes), Photosynthesis (where you take trees through their life-cycle), and Sherlock Holmes, Consulting Detective: Jack the Ripper & West End Adventures (which throws 10 cases your way to try and stop the murders of Jack the Ripper). And don’t forget our collection of 40+ jigsaw puzzles, which has options for children up to the most advanced of puzzlers.

More “Things” for Sunny Days

If the weather is nice, we also have outdoor games to enjoy. Borrow our Portable Badminton / Volleyball Set, Six-Player Croquet Set, or Backyard Bocce Set. Soon you will be able to borrow a Pickle Ball Paddle Set from us so you can join the latest trend and hit the courts

Looking for something different? We have 2 ukulele beginner sets so you can pick up a new hobby, a sewing machine if you are feeling crafty, and a telescope to observe celestial events. Are you a treasure hunter? We have a metal detector. Are you a bird watcher? You might like our binoculars.

You can learn more about BLL’s Library of Things through our website at www.brewsterladieslibrary.org/library-of-things/. There are several other libraries on-Cape that have a Library of Things, too. If you don’t see anything available at BLL that catches your interest, look at other Library of Things items on the websites of neighboring libraries. One thing to keep in mind is that Library of Things items are not requestable. This means you must physically go to a library to check out the item you are interested in, rather than have it delivered to a different library closer to you. You also cannot place a hold on a thing to reserve it; all Library of Things items are “first come, first served.”

Whichever thing you decide to try, we hope you enjoy it and your time on-Cape!

Contributing Author: Devon Evans, Asst. Director of Adult Services & Ref., Brewster Ladies Library 5/6/24
The mission of the Brewster Ladies’ Library, established in 1852, is to be a cultural and life-long learning community center that provides free access to a range of resources, activities, and professional assistance to further enhance the quality of life of the community.