I’m a big fan of books and love nothing more than heading down to the local library to pick up my latest reservation, but these days there’s so much more to borrow! Did you know that you can borrow a beeswax wrap-making kit or a laptop from Newcastle Libraries? Or a birding backpack or ukelele from Cessnock City Library?
Have you ever borrowed from a street library, a seed library or the Library of Things? Save money and do your bit for the environment by borrowing instead of buying. Check out all these great things families can borrow from local libraries.
eLibrary
Adult eLibrary
Both Newcastle Libraries and Lake Mac Libraries have an app that you can download to access their eLibrary anywhere, anytime. Access to the Maitland Library eLibrary and Cessnock City Library eLibrary is via their website.
Choose from a huge range of eBooks, eAudiobooks, eMagazines, comics, free music and research databases as well as documentaries and films.
Kids eLibrary
In the Kids eLibrary you’ll find eBooks, eAudiobooks, stories on film (Storybox Library), educational games and information resources for help with homework.
Story Box Library is a favourite in our house. You can choose from over 400 favourite kids stories read aloud by Australia’s best storytellers including well-known Australian authors and TV personalities. Story Box Library is suited to preschool and primary school-aged kids and you can log in for free with a Newcastle Libraries, Lake Mac Libraries, Maitland Library or Cessnock City Library card.
Technology
Laptops and Internet
If you don’t have a computer or internet connection at home but need access for study, school work or job seeking, Newcastle Library lend Telstra 4GX WiFi Hotspots and Lenovo Laptops, enabling borrowers to connect to the internet from anywhere. Laptops feature the Microsoft Office Suite including Word, Powerpoint and Excel. They are intended for borrowers over the age of 18 or for use with parental guidance.
Cessnock City Library, Maitland Library and Lake Mac Libraries don’t have computers to borrow and take home but, as a library member, you can visit any of their branches to access free WiFi and use their public access internet computers.
3D Printer
You can’t literally borrow a 3D printer to take home, but you can have your 3D designs printed at your local library (a great school holiday activity for older kids!) 3D printing is available at Belmont Library, Cessnock Library and Newcastle Libraries. Create your own design online using a 3D Design app such as Thingiverse or Tinkercad or download a pre-made model.
Take your model into Belmont Library or Cessnock Library on a USB flash drive, saved in the STL file format, to be printed. There is a cost per time it takes to print your design.
If you’re a member of Newcastle Libraries you can email them your STL file along with the details of the materials/colours desired and they will send you back a quote.
Newcastle Libraries Digital branch also has a 3D scanner available for use.
MakerSpace Kits
Borrow a STEM-inspired MakerSpace Kit from Newcastle Libraries for the whole family to enjoy together. There’s heaps of kits to choose from including Beeswax Wraps, Google Cardboard and Paper Circuits, Edison Robot, Sphero, Honeycomb Music and more.
We borrowed the Beeswax Wraps kit and the Sphero kit and were impressed by how the kits included everything we needed to complete the activity or project.
Most of the MakerSpace Kits are suitable for kids aged 5+ and make a perfect rainy day or school holiday activity.
Birding Backpacks
Cessnock City Library has Birding Backpacks available for their members to borrow free of charge.
What is a Birding Backpack? It’s a backpack containing all the items kids and families require for a fun day outdoors. Each contains: 2x pairs of binoculars (1 kid-sized, 1 adult-sized), Australian Bird ID guides and booklets, local birding maps, beginners birding tips, native flora & fauna information, family-friendly bushland activity suggestions and more. You can borrow one by typing in “birding backpack” and placing a free reservation on the catalogue on the Cessnock City Library website.
The backpacks are generously donated by the Hunter Region Landcare Network.
Book Club Kits
Start a book club with your mothers group or parents group and use the Book Club Kits available from your local library. Most of the kits contain 10 copies of the book and discussion notes. There are hundreds of paperback titles to choose from as well as kits in audiobook format.
Lake Mac Libraries, Maitland Library and Newcastle Libraries all have Book Club Kits available to borrow. We checked Lake Mac Libraries and titles included Daisy Jones and the Six, Exiles, and Lessons in Chemistry while Newcastle Libraries featured Carrie Soto is Back, Three Sisters and Shadow and Bone.
Memory Kits
If you have a family member living with dementia, you might like to borrow a Memory Kit from Newcastle Libraries.
Memory kits are a resource designed especially for people living with dementia. Each kit features eight items and centres around a different topic. The items, including books, DVDs and CDs help to spark memories, stimulate conversation and provide entertainment. Newcastle Libraries currently have twelve kits available to borrow and themes include At The Beach, In the Kitchen and Popular Music of Yesteryear.
Any library member can borrow a Memory Kit.
Ukelele
Cessnock City Library has ukeleles for loan. To borrow one, head to Kurri Kurri Library and join in their free Ukelele Club on Friday afternoons 1-2pm. All skill levels are welcome.
Newcastle Toy Library
Save money and resources by borrowing toys instead of buying your own at Newcastle Toy Library. A huge range of toys, games and puzzles, suitable for kids from birth to eight years of age, are available to borrow for a party, education or just for fun.
This special collection operates out of New Lambton Library and is open from 9:30-11:45am on Saturday mornings. Membership is affordable and you can sign up at any time of the year.
Seed Library
As well as being a fun and meaningful activity for families to do together, growing seeds collected from a Seed Library is a great way to teach kids about the life cycle of plants!
Seed libraries strengthen biodiversity and food security of our local community. You can collect free seeds for your garden and donate seeds for others at the Newcastle Seed Libraries located at Wallsend, Lambton and Digital branches or from Lake Mac Libraries at their Cardiff branch.
Maitland Seed Library is a partnership between Maitland Libraries and Slow Food Hunter Valley. You can borrow seeds from any of their branches or from the Earth Market.
A Library of Things (The Share Shop)
Save money and be sustainable by borrowing goods, instead of buying them, from The Share Shop – A Library of Things.
Located in Hamilton, The Share Shop is a way to help you spend less on things you don’t need, and use less space to store items in your home. Borrow everything from whipper snippers and power tools to board games, baking supplies and party packs.
Open Saturdays from 10am to 12pm, The Share Shop is a community organisation run entirely by volunteers.
Street Libraries
Donate or borrow a book from a Street Library. Street Libraries are micro libraries, accessible to the street, that are installed in front yards. People can walk by and take a book from or donate a book to the Street Library as they wish, without checking them in or out.
There are a number of Street Libraries in our region, with new ones being added all the time. See our article for more information and a list of local Street Libraries.
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Meg is a born and raised Novocastrian whose interests include gardening, reading and writing poetry. In between writing for Newy With Kids and working as a School Learning Support Officer, Meg enjoys camping and travelling with her family and exploring Newcastle and all it has to offer. Meg has two energetic kids and is passionate about kids having the opportunity to be outdoors as often as possible.