Bangor Public Library Has Lots of ‘Stuff’ Beyond Books to Borrow

Did you know, there's more to check out from the Bangor Public Library than just books?

Admittedly, I knew they had things like DVDs and CDs and at one point even the equipment to play those things on. But I did not know they had more "stuff" for folks than was located on the shelves.

Hannah Cyrus works in the reference department at the Bangor Public Library. She says there's a variety of other things targeted at all age groups and interests.

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"I'd say there are two main categories to our 'library of stuff.' Passes would be the first.

"We offer passes to places like the Jordan planetarium at the University Of Maine, a Maine State Parks pass that will get one vehicle into almost any state park, a pass to the Farnsworth Art Museum, and when the Penobscot Theater is up and running again, we will be offering passes to some of their shows."

Cyrus says another category of "stuff" you can check out of the Bangor Public Library includes instruments...both the musical and the scientific kind.

"We have a ton of stuff for people...a telescope, digital microscopes, ukuleles. We've tried to appeal to everyone and anyone of a variety of ages. And we hope to provide a big spread of things available for science, art, and technology."

The Bangor Public Library has also put together a number of backpack kits for folks to explore different activities.

"There's a birdwatching kit that has binoculars and a bird identification book."

"There's a family wildlife backpack kid that's geared to all ages with books on identifying tracks."

"There's an electronics kit, where people can learn about coding and programming and do things like practice building circuits."

Cyrus says most of the items in their "Stuff Library" go out a week at a time. For things like tickets and passes, there is a calendar, if folks want to call the library to reserve those. All you need is a Bangor Public Library card to take advantage of these benefits.

And something you may not have known: Anyone in the state of Maine can sign up for a Bangor Public Library Card for free.

If you want to take a look at what the library has to lend, just click here.

For more information, you can call the BPL at 947-8336 or visit them online at bangorpubliclibrary.org.