The following article was written by Emily Brandt, a Marketing Associate at the Manitowoc Public Library.
I remember as a young girl, riding in the back of my parents’ car, passing by the local McDonalds, asking, “Mama, can I have a Happy Meal for supper?” And my mom responding with a “We have Happy Meals at home.” Fast forward to getting home and finding out that my mom has been slow cooking her favorite meal of all time all along—pork with sauerkraut and dumplings—which also happened to be my least favorite meal. Happy Meal for her? Yes. However, for me? Sad Meal.
You may be asking yourself what is this person talking about and how does this relate to the Library? Well, if you have ever received the super heartbreaking response of “No!” when wanting something because there’s another option waiting for you at home, then you may be excited to learn about all the interesting things you may not have at home that are available at Manitowoc Public Library—FOR FREE!
Now that I have your attention and your tummy grumbling because you, like my mother, love a good pork, sauerkraut & dumpling dish, I want to share all the amazing items MPL has for checkout:
- Blood Pressure Monitoring Kits: Would you like to check on your blood pressure from the privacy of your own home? We now have two monitoring kits—one with a small cuff, one with a large!
- Cake Pans: Looking to bake a unique cake for a special occasion? Take a look at our huge selection of specialty cake pans!
- DLP Projector: Connect laptops, video game consoles, DVD/Blu-ray players to the projector to create an at-home theater experience.
- Happy Lamp: This handy little device uses light therapy to treat symptoms of seasonal depression. Fall is right around the corner, which means the sun will be setting earlier—stay one-step ahead to help clear the “winter blues.”
- Ice Age Trail Backpack: Learn about Wisconsin’s flora and fauna while hiking the Ice Age National Scenic Trail with these Explorer Backpacks courtesy of the Ice Age Trail Alliance.
- Launch Pads: These tablets for children are pre-loaded with educational apps that are ideal for learners of all ages!
- Line Logger/Meter Reader: Check your house for energy inefficiencies with an energy/wattage meter!
- Memory Kits: A fantastic collection of kits that offer our community a meaningful way to interact with their loved ones who might be experiencing forms of dementia and cognitive decline.
- Mini Speakers: Do you prefer not to use headphones with Playaway Audiobooks? Check out a portable mini speaker!
- Playaway Audiobooks: With titles available for all ages, this recent addition to MPL’s collection is becoming a fast favorite for patrons! No internet or downloading needed—just pop in some batteries and plug-in headphones to listen!
- Science Kits: Borrow a kit and learn more about Bird Watching, the Human Body, Micro-Science, Space, and Weather—with the books and supplies for each subject contained within the respective kit.
- Toys & Games: Toys and games can get expensive! Try out items from our collection!
- Ukuleles: Uke won’t believe it, but these popular instruments can be checked out from MPL!
- Video Games: A great selection of video games for an array of platforms. Check one out for a test run!
- Vox Books: The world’s first audio books that live in print books. The permanently attached VOX Reader transforms an ordinary print book into an all-in-one read-along. No need for computers, tablets, or CDs—children simply push a button to listen and read.
- Wi-Fi Hot Spots: Internet on the go! No internet at home? Going on vacation? Whatever your reason—Wi-Fi hotspots are a great gadget to take with you!
I could go on and on about the wonderful and unique things MPL has to offer. This list is just some of the amazing things you can take home. And the list of things you can use at the library? HUGE! To see all of the items on MPL’s Special Collections page, visit www.manitowoclibrary.org/special-collections.