Just one more reason to get yourself a library card

March 31, 2017 11:44 PM

Public Libraries are really expanding on the items you can borrow.
posted by saucysault (28 comments total)

DAMN YOU APRIL 1 FOR KILLING MY HOPES.
posted by Going To Maine at 11:48 PM on March 31, 2017 [9 favorites]

To dream the impossible dream!
posted by soakimbo at 12:16 AM on April 1, 2017 [2 favorites]

Since more and more people go to the library solely to access the internet, I guess they just decided to cut out the middleman.
posted by StickyCarpet at 12:16 AM on April 1, 2017 [14 favorites]

Could we just stick all the april fools gags in one thread?
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 2:14 AM on April 1, 2017 [5 favorites]

I would go to my local library a heck of a lot more if I had the opportunity to just sit with kitties and read...

...hell who am I kidding? There would be no reading getting done, only kitty cuddles!
posted by littlesq at 3:01 AM on April 1, 2017 [2 favorites]

Library cats are a real thing. But they're like the reference books. You can pet them while you're there but not take them home.
posted by adept256 at 3:26 AM on April 1, 2017 [16 favorites]

Apparently, there are a bunch of tool-lending libraries, no fooling. The ones I looked at are not part of a regular public library, but it seems like this is something that could increase patronage at those.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 5:26 AM on April 1, 2017 [4 favorites]

Would.
posted by jessamyn at 7:25 AM on April 1, 2017 [3 favorites]

Is everyone in the world on Facebook now? That link took me to Facebook page that quickly hid the content with a massive log-on curtain. No, thank you.
posted by uraniumwilly at 7:33 AM on April 1, 2017 [7 favorites]

uraniumwilly, I get around it by blocking javascript. I use a firefox extension called noscript for this.
posted by adept256 at 7:58 AM on April 1, 2017 [2 favorites]

You think it's a joke, but there was some org when I was a kid that let me borrow a bunny for a week. It could happen!
posted by jenfullmoon at 8:06 AM on April 1, 2017 [2 favorites]

It could happen!

It did happen, as we discussed in this post a month ago. Naturally, money turned a sweet idea into pure evil. They're renting them out.
posted by adept256 at 8:17 AM on April 1, 2017 [1 favorite]

Borrow a personal librarian!
posted by The Card Cheat at 8:28 AM on April 1, 2017 [2 favorites]

I thought it was going to be about tool libraries. Oh well.
posted by GuyZero at 9:03 AM on April 1, 2017

To be fair, some cats are tools.

How do you organize them? A call number is useless on a cat, as most won't come when you call them....
posted by GenjiandProust at 9:33 AM on April 1, 2017 [3 favorites]

The Vancouver Public Library lends out musical instruments!
posted by invokeuse at 9:41 AM on April 1, 2017 [1 favorite]

April 1, the day the rest of the web turns into 4chan
posted by wheelieman at 10:42 AM on April 1, 2017 [1 favorite]

I've liked Powell's April 1 post the best: Books From the Future.
posted by terooot at 11:10 AM on April 1, 2017

Apparently, there are a bunch of tool-lending libraries, no fooling. The ones I looked at are not part of a regular public library, but it seems like this is something that could increase patronage at those.

Both the Berkeley and Oakland public libraries offer tool lending.

WorldCat claims to be the world's largest library catalog.
posted by ActingTheGoat at 11:16 AM on April 1, 2017 [1 favorite]

Does the library have even one real cat? My local one does, and it really helps to set the atmosphere.
posted by queen anne's remorse at 11:26 AM on April 1, 2017 [1 favorite]

Was kinda hoping this was going to be about lending out backhoes and such. But yeah, I could use a good mouser for a week or so.
posted by gwint at 12:26 PM on April 1, 2017

Apparently, there are a bunch of tool-lending libraries, no fooling.

Not only do libraries where I live lend out cake pans, but a friend of mine was totally surprised that this was unusual and had assumed that all libraries everywhere had cake pan collections.

Anyway, I think my favorite April Fool's thing today has been Think Geek's swim desk. I totally want a swim desk.
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 3:47 PM on April 1, 2017 [1 favorite]

At first I had a laugh but them swiftly remembered that my province's budget for libraries just got cut and now I feel very bad. Maybe they'll announce that the budget was just a big april fool's prank. sigh.

Actually, I'm gonna go send out an email with for a "Library Cat" fundraising night where you can donate to be lent a rescue kitty to cuddle while you read.
posted by InkDrinker at 4:52 PM on April 1, 2017 [1 favorite]

I just found out the library in Garden City, Idaho loans out fishing poles to kids. No joke.
The library sits right next to the Green Belt along the banks of the Boise River, and people can rent a pole to fish. Librarians are cool.
posted by BlueHorse at 6:38 PM on April 1, 2017 [2 favorites]

There are libraries in Chicago that lend out fishing poles to kids and adults.

The best thing my public library lends out is art by local artists. They have a collection, and you can check out any work for 8 weeks. I have no idea how many people actually do that, but it's neat that they can invest in the local art scene, such as it is.
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 6:48 PM on April 1, 2017 [2 favorites]

I got a couple of fine fine cats in situations where people wanted a kitten and ended up with a cat. Kittens are neat but I find even an adult cat a handful.
posted by wotsac at 10:30 PM on April 1, 2017

While we lived in Michigan, the Ann Arbor library loaned me a mini-synthesizer and one of those kill-a-watt style plug adapters that monitors passive electrical usage. No cats, though.
posted by deludingmyself at 8:54 AM on April 2, 2017

The New Hampshire Astronomical Society set up an extremely awesome thing where quite a few of the libraries in NH (of which, every town has one; itself an amazing thing) lend out telescopes.

They are constantly checked out, too.
posted by Xyanthilous P. Harrierstick at 7:36 PM on April 2, 2017 [2 favorites]