Libraries increasingly loaning out items like cake pans, power tools, and more

Libraries all over the country are increasingly loaning out non-traditional items ranging from cake pans and power tools to seed and sports equipment, "a growing movement known as the 'Library of Things' that aims to enrich residents’ lives in new and innovative ways," Kate Queram reports for Route Fifty.

The items are a boon for residents who don't need such things often or can't afford them. Libraries that launch such collections often start by surveying patrons to see what they want.

Curtis Rogers, a spokesman for the Urban Libraries Council, said Library of Things collections serve the same goals as books. "It’s to support lifelong learning, entrepreneurial thinking, creativity and skill-building for all community members," he told Queram.

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