People can borrow much more than books

You can borrow so much more than books from your public library.

As the Friends of the Bloomfield Branch Library described it on a recent display they put together, the library has “books and beyond” – and you might be surprised to learn about all that you can access with your library membership.

Thanks to Ontario Parks, you can borrow a pass to explore Ontario’s beautiful provincial parks near and far. Thanks to Quinte Conservation, you can borrow passes to the area’s conservation areas, including the local Little Bluff, Macaulay Mountain, and Massassauga Point, or the further afield Potter’s Creek, Deerock Lake, or Sheffield.

Every branch of the public library also has jigsaw puzzles for you to borrow. It’s a “puzzle swap” where you’re encouraged to bring in puzzles you have finished and find something new to try with no obligation to return them.

Additionally, the Bloomfield Branch of the Library has a small collection of board games you can check out with your library membership and will accept donations of good-condition games to circulate as well. In particular, children’s board games are popular and if you have any that the children in your life have outgrown, please consider donating them to the Bloomfield branch.

For the past few years, the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada – Belleville Centre, in partnership with the South Shore Joint Initiative, has been hosting “astro talks” at the library – regularly scheduled talks on a range of astronomical topics. Recently, RASC Belleville donated a telescope to the library that you can check out free of charge with your library card after taking their introductory training session. The next session will be held on Saturday, May 9 at 2 p.m. at the Picton Branch Library and all are welcome. Learn how to use and care for the Seestar s50 smart telescope and discover tips for stargazing and spotting celestial wonders from our local experts.

The library also loans a range of technology – from speakers and microphones to “borrow the internet” – a mobile hotspot you can take on the go and access a WIFI connection from anywhere with a cell phone signal.

Projectors and projector screens are popular with people and organizations who need to give presentations in places where they don’t have the required technology, as well as at weddings and other social events where a slideshow of photos is displayed. The library’s tech help staff will give an overview of how to use any of the library’s loanable technology and if you are not sure exactly what you need, just ask – explain what you would like to do and they’ll suggest the item or items that might best suit your need.

There is plenty to explore “beyond books” at your library – and of course, books remain the foundation with new titles added each week for you to browse. You can also request titles of interest at peclibrary.org/rfp or any branch of the library.