The Eugene Public Library’s downtown branch is getting a refresh on its first floor. The change is meant to provide better access to some popular collections.
“We’re building out an amazing new space for our Library of Things collection. So, we’re very excited. Things are dusty but beautiful so far in the library, I would say,” Library Director Angela Ocaña told KLCC.
The Library of Things lets people borrow everything from sewing machines to telescopes to wifi hotspots. It will be easier to find those things, Ocaña said.
“You’ll get to walk through it a little bit and be like 'Whoa that’s cool! Whoa, I didn’t know you had this,’” she said. “Right now, the library of things, it's kind of in a binder and you’re like 'Okay great. I’ll take number 42…' and then you go find it. Here it’ll be a real visualization of what the Library of Things is and the backdrop will be Lucky Day, which is everybody’s favorite collection."
The hope is to have the project done before the new year. It's funded by the Eugene Public Library foundation.
Ocaña said the Public Library Foundation fundraised for this project several years ago, but it was postponed by work on the new City Hall at the old EWEB building.
She said the changes are in response to demand from their patrons.
“What we’d heard loud and clear was, ‘we love the Library of Things, we love being able to get all these different pieces, we love being able to have more accessibility through technology,’” she said. “So, it’s kind of on us to find a place to house these in a way that we’re like ‘this is actually really popular, this maybe is one of those future collections of the next decade.”’
Ocana said the old desks and cabinetry are getting recycled at Bring. They’re having new custom furniture built for the library of things collection. She says holds will also have more space once the work is done.
“It’s kind of fun to be adaptable to what the community has been into and to rethink our spaces and how we can make the most of every square inch that we have,” she said.
