Library of Things
Libraries were sharing before sharing was cool.
— Miguel Figueroa, director of the American Library Association's Center for the Future of Libraries
TCPL offers a collection of items that veer from traditional. Yes, we have a large collection of books and audiovisual materials, but we also have museum passes, mobile hotspots, exploring kits, seeds, reading glasses, umbrellas, basic toolkits, phone chargers, tote bags, and more that you can check out and use in-house or take home with you. These items are listed in the catalog under "Library of Things" and are available near the Reference desk.
Passes
Available at the Reference desk.
We do not allow holds on passes. However, if a pass is checked in when you search our online catalog, you can call us at 607-272-4556 and we will check it out to you. If you do not pick it up before closing that day we will check it back in the next morning so it will be available for someone else.
- Corning Museum of Glass — Check pass availability: Dual or Individual
Pass entitles holder free admission to the museum for one adult per pass. No charge for children 17 & under. - Hangar Theatre — Check pass availability
Pass entitles holder up to 4 total tickets for any Hangar Theatre Company Mainstage or KIDDSTUFF performance. Valid for unlimited use during week of checkout. - Museum of the Earth & Cayuga Nature Center — Check pass availability
Pass entitles the holder (and family) to one visit during the lending period. - New York State Parks Empire Pass — Check pass availability
Pass entitles the holder to unlimited day use with the occupants in one vehicle at the time of entry. Learn more about the NY State Parks Explorer App at parks.ny.gov/explorer-app/. - Sciencenter — Check pass availability
Pass entitles the holder to free admission to the Sciencenter for up to two adults and their children, all living in the same household. - YMCA of Ithaca and Tompkins County — Check pass availability: Family or Individual
Pass entitles use of the YMCA facilities, including the fitness equipment & gymnasium.
Museum Pass Kits
Check pass availability: Sciencenter A, Sciencenter B, or MotE/CNC
Each kit contains a pass to visit the Sciencenter, the Museum of the Earth, or the Cayuga Nature Center and books to inspire your exploration with experiments at home! Provided by the Finger Lakes Library System with funding from the Myrtle Dee Nash Memorial Fund of the Community Foundation of Tompkins County.
Mobile Hotspots
Now available at TCPL, you can take home a mobile hotspot! These hotspots offer 4 GE LTE speeds and can connect up to 10 Wi-Fi devices at once.
Purchased with state aid from the office of Anna Kelles and provided by Mobile Beacon and the T-Mobile network.
Be sure to check the coverage area map to know if a hotspot will work for you.
Borrowing
Available at the Reference desk. The loan period is 1 week (7 days), with 1 renewal. No holds. Only one hotspot may be checked out per household at a time.
This kit includes:
- Franklin T9 Mobile Hotspot
- charger
- quick start guide
- hotspot guidelines
- carrying case
Returning
Because hotspots are fragile, it is strongly encouraged that you return this item directly to the Circulation desk, rather than in a book drop or at another Finger Lakes library.
Overdue, Lost, or Damaged Items
Hotspots that are overdue by 10 days will be remotely deactivated. Hotspots that are overdue by 30 days will be assumed lost and a $75 replacement fee will be charged to the card until the hotspot is returned. The charge for a damaged hotspot or missing parts will be at the discretion of the library.
Exploring Kits
- Finger Lakes Land Trust Red Backpack
Includes zoom binoculars, emergency poncho, compass, high-powered double color magnifying glass, New York State identification guides (New York State trees & wildflowers, New York State birds, New York State wildlife). - Finger Lakes Land Trust Blue Backpack
Includes guide to the birds of North America [in Spanish], zoom binoculars, emergency poncho, compass, New York State identification guides (New York State trees & wildflowers, New York State birds, New York State wildlife), first aid kit, bug spray. - Finger Lakes Land Trust Rainbow Backpack
Zoom binoculars, emergency poncho, compass, high-powered double color magnifying glass, New York State identification guides (New York State trees & wildflowers, New York State birds, New York State wildlife).
