SHELBURNE FALLS — Get your library cards ready because Arms Library is working to develop a “Library of Things” this spring.

By offering items on loan that are not typically seen in a library such as gardening tools, cookware and crafting supplies, potentially as early as April, Library Director Laurie Wheeler hopes the Library of Things will help people try new items, cut down on waste, and build a more engaged and resilient community.

“A lot of the reasons why were doing this is for helping community resilience,” Wheeler said. “It feels like a way to take good care of the community. Libraries are about giving and fostering community, and this seems like a good way to give back.”

Wheeler said a Library of Things offers people a chance to explore new hobbies or access tools they may only need for a few days, rather than go through the expense of buying them.

“There are things people may not have access to or they want to try something before they make a purchase,” Wheeler explained.

“Maybe they need it (a tool) for one project and the idea of buying it for just one project is daunting,” added Shelburne Falls resident Alison Cornish, who is helping the library with the project.

Wheeler said libraries are more than just places for books, and she hopes the Library of Things will bring more people in to explore all the resources available.

“We want people to realize libraries are places to go,” Wheeler said.

Both Wheeler and Cornish have been wanting to bring a Library of Things to Shelburne Falls for years now while drawing inspiration from surrounding libraries.

Northfield’s Dickinson Memorial Library has Wi-Fi hotspots and telescopes. Northfield also has a tool lending library with an extensive collection of tools, including drills, saws and leaf blowers. Meanwhile, the Sunderland Public Library offers kayaks, sewing machines, ukuleles and electricity usage monitors. Belding Memorial Library in Ashfield offers a camera, tripod, and food preservation and canning tools.

What, exactly, will be available at the Library of Things in Shelburne Falls has yet to be determined. The library is conducting a survey seeking suggestions on what residents want to see offered. Forms can be filled out at the library at 60 Bridge St. until March 15.

“We’ll see what the survey says and what people are hungry for,” Cornish said

Cornish said she would personally love to see specialized cookware, baking supplies, a dehydrator and canning pot, as well as gardening tools and crafting supplies. She added that Arms Library currently has a set of microscopes that were donated a few years ago, and it could be fun to expand and build science and adventure kits featuring telescopes and magnifying glasses.

Wheeler said the hope is that as people fill out the survey and consider what items they want to see in a Library of Things, they also think about what items they have and could donate to the library.

She said she is prepared to buy a couple packets of seeds to restock the seed library, which will be opening for the 2025 season on March 3, but she hopes the majority of items for the Library of Things will be donated.

“We fill up our storage units with things left idle,” Cornish said. “Instead of that, let’s share with our neighbors.”

Reach Madison Schofield at 413-930-4579 or mschofield@recorder.com.