Library of Things Collection

The Wichita Public Library's "Library of Things" is a non-traditional library collection offering a variety of equipment you can borrow for at-home use. An adult (18+) Wichita Public Library card in good standing is required to borrow these materials. You may have 2 Library of Things items checked out at one time.

• Anatomical Models

  

  Your Wichita Public Library wants to create college and career ready students. If you're exploring a career in the medical field, or simply want to learn more about the human body, you can now borrow anatomical models to study. Models include:

  • Classic Eye Model: Three times life size, dissectible into six parts: both halves of choroid with iris and retina; both halves of sclera with cornea and eye muscle attachments; lens; and vitreous humor.
  • Ear Model: One-piece, full-size model shows outer ear, ear canal, and inner ear mechanisms including ossicles, cochlea, nerve, and Eustachian tube.
  • Eight-Part Human Brain Model: Full-size human brain molded from PVS plastic and hand-painted to show lobes. Mounted in a rotatable metal harness on a plastic stand, the brain can be removed and dissected into eight anatomically correct parts. Includes over 50 labeled structures of the brain and a fold-out laminated color guide indicating brain structures. One side of the guide includes names, while the other side shows only numbers for student assessment.
  • Heart Model: Two-piece model opens in half to show inner chambers and valves of the heart as well as aortic arch, superior and inferior vena cava, pulmonary and cardiac veins.
  • Kidney Model: Two times life size, longitudinal section of right kidney and adrenal gland. Model highlights renal artery and vein and minor calyx, interlobular artery and vein, and ureter.

  (Descriptions from Nasco Education website.)

  You can borrow an Anatomical Model for 14 days. There are 2 renewals* for this item.

  Request an Anatomical Model

• Binoculars

  

  The Library is for explorers! Now you can check out a Vortex Crossfire 8x42 binoculars kit from your Wichita Public Library. Each binoculars kit contains a pair of binoculars with neck strap, padded protective case, instructional manual, and three pamphlets:

  • The Night Sky Seasonal Pocket Guide
  • Kansas Birds: A Folding Pocket Guide to Familiar Species
  • Moon: A Folding Pocket Guide to the Moon, its Surface Features, Phases, and Eclipses

  You can borrow a binoculars kit for 14 days. There are 2 renewals* for this item.

  Request a binoculars kit

• Blood Pressure Monitor Kits

  

  We now offer blood pressure monitor kits. Each kit comes with a blood pressure monitor, log book, pre-survey, and instruction booklet. These kits are presented in partnership with K-State Research and Extension, the Sedgwick County Health Department, and the Wichita Medical Research and Education Foundation.

  You can borrow a blood pressure monitor kit for 14 days. There are 2 renewals* for this item.

  Request a blood pressure monitor kit

• Chromebook and Laptop Kiosk (in-Library use only)

  

  Chromebooks and laptops are available to borrow from a kiosk at the Advanced Learning Library and can be used anywhere inside the Advanced Learning Library, including the terrace on the second floor. This is ideal for flexible work within the Library. These devices may not be removed from the building.

  You can borrow a Chromebook or laptop from the kiosk for 3 hours. You may use one Chromebook or laptop at a time.

  Learn more about Chromebooks & laptops

• Chromebooks

  

  The Library has a collection of Chromebooks that can be checked out from the building. These are ideal for when you are somewhere with internet access but without a computer. The Chromebooks do not include a hotspot, so you will need to connect to a Wi-Fi network or hotspot to access the internet.

  These Chromebooks are preloaded with the following apps:

  • Beautiful Audio Editor
  • Camera
  • Chrome Canvas
  • Dropbox
  • eBay
  • Google Drive
  • Kramer VIA
  • LibreOffice Editor
  • LinkedIn

  • Lucidpress
  • Microsoft Office Online
  • Microsoft Teams
  • Office Editing for Docs, Sheets & Slides
  • Skype
  • SumoPaint
  • Twitter WebApp
  • Zoom

  You can borrow a Chromebook for 28 days. There are 2 renewals* for this item.

  Request a Chromebook

• Experience Passes

  

  The Library now offers Experience Passes! You can borrow a family pack of passes from the Library to explore a selected local museum or attraction – at no cost! Special exhibits and add-on experiences may have additional fees. Experience Passes do not cover the cost of concessions or gift shop purchases.

  Museums and Attractions

  • Botanica, 701 N. Amidon
    Located in the Museums on the River area, Botanica has more than 30 gardens and exhibits with gardenscaping, sculptures and fountains to explore.
  • Cosmosphere, 110 N. Plum St., Hutchinson, KS 67501
    A short drive west of Wichita brings you to the Cosmosphere, the "greatest space museum on planet Earth."
  • Exploration Place, 300 N. McLean Blvd.
    Exploration Place is Kansas' premier science center, inspiring a deep interest in science and technology through creative and fun experiences.
  • Great Plains Transportation Museum, 700 E. Douglas
    The Great Plains Transportation Museum displays an assortment of railroad equipment, including a steam and a diesel Santa Fe locomotive.
  • Mid-America All-Indian Museum, 650 N. Seneca
    The Mid-America All-Indian Museum is dedicated to educating people about and preserving the culture of the American Indian for future generations.
  • Museum of World Treasures, 835 E. 1st St.
    With three floors of exhibits and surprises around every corner, you'll unlock the stories of the past at the Museum of World Treasures!
  • Old Cowtown Museum, 1865 W. Museum Blvd.
    Old Cowtown Museum is home to over 25,000 historical artifacts and 54 buildings which span 23 acres along the Arkansas River. Wichita's storied past is vividly brought to life through daily activities, special events and education programs.
  • Sedgwick County Zoo, 5555 W. Zoo Blvd.
    From colossal elephants to majestic lions to playful otters and everything in between, the Sedgwick County Zoo is home to more than 3,000 animals across nearly 400 different species.
  • Tanganyika, 1000 S. Hawkins Lane, Goddard, KS 67052
    This family built a zoo from the ground up – come experience a "wildly different experience" at one of the only places in the country where you can hand-feed lemurs.
  • Wichita Art Museum, 1400 W. Museum Blvd.
    Wichita Art Museum is a dynamic cultural hub that connects people, ideas and American art through remarkable experiences.
  • Wichita Sedgwick County Historical Museum, 204 S. Main St.
    The Wichita Sedgwick County Historical Museum houses a variety of exhibits showcasing life in Wichita and Sedgwick County over the centuries, from the Wichita Indian tribe to the cowboys who drove their cattle here, to the dawn of aviation and the City's role as the Air Capital of the World.
  • Wichita Toy Train Club and Museum, 130 Laura St.
    The Wichita Toy Train Club is an organization of collectors and operators for both classic tinplate and current hi-rail trains, and operates the Wichita Toy Train Museum.

  You can borrow an Experience Pass for 7 days. There are 2 renewals* for this item.

  View a List of Experience Passes

• Finch Robots

  

  The Finch Robot 2.0 is a programmable robot that brings computer science to life by providing students from kindergarten to college a hands-on representation of their code. These robots work with many different programming languages and come with extensive features. Finch Robot 2.0 requires use of Crayola Paint Brush Pens or markers of a similar size to work. Pens are not included.

  You can borrow a Finch Robot for 14 days. There are 2 renewals* for this item.

  Request a Finch Robot 2.0

• Hotspots

  Service Update (August 8, 2024)

  Our hotspot lending program is ending soon. We are no longer accepting hold requests for hotspots, but will keep existing hotspots in circulation through November 18 to fulfill as many existing requests as we can. No hotspots will check out after November 18 and all hotspots will shut off on December 20.

  We are exploring options to develop another hotspot lending program.

  

  With a Library-provided mobile hotspot, you can do all sorts of activities that require an internet connection: checking email, paying bills online, applying for jobs, conducting research, and more. Hotspot checkout is possible thanks to a gift in memory of Forrest C. & Frances H. Lattner through the Wichita Public Library Foundation.

  You can borrow a hotspot for 14 days. There are 2 renewals* for this item.

• Microscopes

  

  Investigate objects too small for the eye to see with the Amscope microscope kit. Power the microscope with either the included power adapter or three AA batteries (not included). Each microscope kit has:

  • An Amscope 40X-1000X portable dual light glass lens metal frame student monocular microscope with power adapter and vinyl carrying bag
  • A 10X and a 25X eyepiece
  • 12 piece slide kit in a wood box
  • A book, The World of the Microscope by Chris Oxlade

  You can borrow a microscope kit for 14 days. There are no renewals for this item.

  Request a microscope kit How to use the microscope

• Radon Detectors

  How to Set Up a Radon Test

  Watch video on YouTube

  Sponsored by Pure State Services LLC, these radon detectors let customers test radon levels in their homes or businesses. Radon is a colorless, odorless and radioactive gas that can accumulate indoors over time. The gas is a decay of Uranium/Radium that is released into the air, and is the second leading cause of lung cancer. According to the EPA, Sedgwick County is considered to be a medium risk zone for radon.

  You can borrow a radon detector for 14 days. There are 2 renewals* for this item.

  Request a radon detector

  Setting up the radon detector Configuración del detector de radón

• Telescopes

  Library Telescopes: Quick Start Guide

  Watch video on YouTube

  Look to the stars with the Orion StarBlast Astronomical Telescope available to borrow from your Wichita Public Library. This telescope has been reviewed by a number of astronomical publications and is found to be a great resource for stargazing and learning about the solar system. Each telescope is mounted on a wooden base and has a large optical tube, meaning objects will appear in great detail. Telescope checkout is possible thanks to the generosity of the Georgia Eakins family.

  You can borrow a telescope for 14 days. There are 2 renewals* for this item.

  Request a telescope Telescope Resource Manual

Collections for Kids

In addition to the Library of Things collection, the Wichita Public Library has non-traditional collections designed for children that can be checked out on a child or adult library card in good standing. This includes our Playaway Launchpads, Tonieboxes, and the Kits collection, which is divided into Early Learning Backpacks for the youngest children and STEAM to GO! kits for grades 4+. You may have up to 2 Launchpads and up to 2 kits checked out at one time. Checkouts of Tonieboxes and Tonie figurine sets are shared with other Library of Things items, including telescopes, radon detectors, hotspots, anatomical models, Finch robots, Chromebooks, binoculars kits, blood pressure monitor kits, and microscope kits. You may have up to 2 Library of Things items checked out at one time.

• Early Learning Backpack Kits

  Early Learning Backpack Video

  Watch video on YouTube

  Help create young readers with our new backpack kits. Each kit is themed and typically includes several picture books, two to four educational games or toys, and an activity guide.

  You can borrow an Early Learning Backpack kit for 14 days. There are no renewals for this item.

  Learn more about Early Learning Backpack Kits

• Playaway Launchpads

  Playaway Launchpad Video

  Watch video on YouTube

  Pre-loaded with content for kids and designed with a simple, easy-to-use interface, Launchpad tablets are made to be passed from one set of hands to the next. Each Playaway Launchpad has a recommended age range, with most designed for children between ages 3 and 7.

  You can borrow a Playaway Launchpad for 14 days. There are 2 renewals* for this item.

  Learn more about Playaway Launchpads

• STEAM to GO! Kits

  STEAM to GO! Kits Video

  Watch video on YouTube

  Bring these creative and educational STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics) kits to your home! Each STEAM kit comes with different themed activities and books that take learning to a whole new level. These STEAM kits are intended for grade 4+ but can be adjusted according to different age levels.

  You can borrow a STEAM to GO! Kit for 14 days. There are no renewals for this item.

  Learn more about STEAM to GO! Kits

• Tonieboxes & Tonies

  Toniebox Video

  Watch video on YouTube

  Tonieboxes use audio storytelling to introduce pre-readers and developing readers to the wonders of stories and music. Each Toniebox checks out with a set of figurines called Tonies. Add a Tonie to the top of the box and it instantly starts to play! We also check out sets of Tonie figurines that do not include a Toniebox. When children combine Tonies with play, they unlock the real wonder of storytelling – a mix of fascination, surprise, curiosity and a craving for exploration.

  You can borrow a Toniebox or Tonie figurine set for 14 days. There are 2 renewals* for this item.

  Learn more about Tonieboxes and Tonies