The library at Mainz University of Applied Sciences is expanding its services: Starting now, students and staff can check out not only books and media, but also practical everyday items, tech equipment, tools, and recreational equipment. With its new “Library of Things,” the university is championing shared use over repeated purchasing and boosting sustainable practices in everyday campus life. The selection of items was based on a survey of students and staff.
Supporting learning, work, and recreation through shared resources
The new collection currently includes 102 items spanning academics, project work, and recreational activities. For presentations and digital projects, users can check out items such as a presenter with pointer, a GoPro camera, a screen adapter, an SD card reader, and equipment for photo and video shoots. Creative work is covered as well, with drawing aids, stencils, and a light box. Tools and equipment such as a cordless screwdriver, drill, laser distance measurer, and sewing machine are also part of the collection. Rounding out the selection are recreational and outdoor gear including badminton sets, a tent, kubb, a foldable wagon, and bike tools. Several items were donated by staff members.
“Many things are only needed occasionally. By sharing them, resources can be used more efficiently without every person having to buy everything themselves,” says Ivana Teronic Oruc, Director of the University Library. “The Library of Things is designed to help students and staff easily bring their ideas to life while also acting more sustainably.”
Sustainability is reflected in the setup itself
The design of the new area also kept reuse in mind. The Library of Things shelving was built by architecture students using materials that would otherwise have gone to waste, including metal table legs from decommissioned furniture at the Holzstraße campus. The principle of reuse is not just communicated here; it is made tangible.
What makes the project new is the combination of library services, sustainability, and the shared use of everyday objects. While libraries have traditionally focused on lending media, Mainz University of Applied Sciences is broadening that concept to include practical items for study, recreation, and creative projects. By doing so, the university is responding to broader societal issues such as resource consumption, rising costs, and sustainable consumption.
The library as a place for sharing
With the Library of Things, the university library continues to evolve into a place where people don’t just come to study, but also to try out and use things together. The items can be used for academic projects, creative endeavors, or recreational activities. Many of them would otherwise only rarely be used in private households. Checking them out of the library helps reduce both purchase costs and material consumption.
The project demonstrates how sustainable resource use can be put into practice within a university setting. At the same time, it creates new possibilities for collaborative work and spontaneous experimentation, from technical class projects to weekend getaways.
