SCRANTON, Pa. — Looking around at the items inside the Albright Memorial Library in Scranton, you'll notice there are more than just books these days.
Library CEO Scott Thomas says they're trying to keep up with the times.
"People have a fixed view of a library, of what it is. If they just come in here, they realize all we have to offer and how we, too, have changed."
The library is letting people sign out even more than just books. With a Lackawanna County library card, you can now borrow items like a projector screen, a Cricut joy machine, an internet hot spot, binoculars, an air compressor, and even a metal detector.
Employees say they've seen this same program work in other libraries and wanted to try it.
"A lot of different people don't have access to those tools in our community, and so it's a great opportunity to get to have them if they don't or to experiment with them before they really invest in them," Briana Cimino said.
People may only need some of these items in a pinch, or maybe you want to use them for an event or a trip.
"It's a one-week period of borrowing it, but you can renew it twice. So, as long as you come in person and return it in person to the library, you can have it for up to three weeks," Cimino explained.
If you have an idea of an item the library doesn't have, employees say just let them know.
"We want ideas of what else can we get here in for you that you might want to borrow," Thomas added. "We're open to ideas because I think we just scratched the surface."
And as with all library books, fees are incurred if the item is late or damaged.
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