By Andrea Schmitz and Laura Schmiedicke

Monroe Public Library

Did you ever want to try a new hobby, but didn’t know where to get started? Or have a great idea, but not the money to purchase supplies? A new option for checkout at the Monroe Public Library might be just what you’re looking for.

The library’s new Curiosity Kits include everything you need to get started with a number of different hobbies and projects, ranging from art supplies and musical instruments to outdoor hobbies and technology equipment. Every kit includes instructions and at least one book to guide your exploration.

Andrea Schmitz, Youth Services Coordinator, came up with the idea for the kits after being inspired by a similar program at another library. The goal for the kits is to provide hands-on learning experiences that extend beyond the written word and into the real world. The library already has Story Kits for young children that include books, toys, puppets and more. The popularity of those kits suggested that library users would be interested in kits for older kids and adults.

Schmitz specifically had in mind the kids who often visit the library on their own. Most were too old to still enjoy the Story Kits but not yet ready to gather all the supplies and learn something new completely on their own. What topics might appeal to that age group? What kinds of things, not usually covered in depth at school, might kids want to know more about? What would they enjoy and have success doing? What books could guide their experience and extend discovery? How could the library design kits to include everything needed for exploration? These types of questions guided the development of the first Curiosity Kits.

The Curiosity Kits for kids provide engaging activities for families with school-aged children, but they can also be used by an individual child. The library encourages adult supervision. Outdoorsy explorers can try the Bird Watching kit, with binoculars and a CD of bird songs, or the Knot Tying kit, with paracord to tie and survival tips included. Young engineering buffs may want to try the Bridge Building kit, and little musicians can learn about scales and tones with boomwhackers — colorful tubes you can play with mallets like a xylophone, or just with your hands. The artistic set can check out a Punchneedle Embroidery kit, a perfect way for older embroiderers to bond with an interested child. Finally, a Tracing Lightbox kit can help kids explore line and form by making tracing easy.

Schmitz collaborated with Laura Schmiedicke, adult services coordinator, to create kits not only for children, but also for adults, allowing community members of all ages explore their curiosity. 

Schmiedicke wanted some of the adult kits to include technology tools that people may hesitate to purchase if they haven’t used them before. A donation of a GoPro Hero, a camera intended for action shots and filming video on the move, made this goal a reality. In addition to the GoPro kit, the Curiosity Kits for adults include a Podcasting kit, with two types of microphones. These are the only two kits where you may need your own computer or smartphone to complete the experience. 

Hands-on hobbies often bring people together. The low-tech adult kits can be used alone or with others, and the library hopes that they encourage friends and groups of people to explore new ideas. On the artistic side, adults can check out a Hand Lettering kit, with brush markers and calligraphy pens, to try a hobby both trendy and timeless. The Ukulele kit comes with a songbook to help you play music right away. The adult kits are also appropriate for many teens, who may enjoy making visual stories with the Comics Club kit, which includes drawing pens and a lettering guide, or trying role-playing games in a group with the Dungeons & Dragons kit. 

In addition, the library will have Memory Kits available in the new year. These kits will be available for checkout by family members or caregivers of people experiencing memory loss. They are intended to spark memories around a specific topic, leading to a positive, shared experience. 

Hopefully, these kits are just the beginning. If the community has an interest in this first group of Curiosity Kits, the Monroe Public Library hopes to add more based on what other topics and hobbies people would like to explore.

The kits are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and can be checked out for two weeks. Information about the kits can currently be found on the second floor of the library, at the top of the stairs, or people can ask any library team member for more details.

— Cover to Cover is provided by the Monroe Public Library and is usually published the fourth Wednesday of the month.