Our science kits were funded by a grant from the IEEE-Chicago Section’s Science Kits for Public Libraries program. (https://ieeechicago.org/about-skpl/) Applications for the $2,000 grant are open annually from November through January. We received word that our application was approved in early April, and due to matching funds that needed to be spent by the end of the fiscal year, we had two months to put together the collection.
We picked out kits based on programs that were already generating high interest, items we’d had wish-listed for a while for programming or circulation, and notes from previous grant winners’ applications. We tried to cover a range of scientific topics, with a focus on electronics and engineering, to tie in with the grant.
The kits were ready for promotion in time for the summer reading promotions; youth librarians mentioned the kits at local schools in the run-up to summer reading, and in the first week of June we held an open house to let people see what was on offer. By the end of the open house every kit had one or more holds placed on it.
The most important thing in keeping the whole process running smoothly was maintaining open lines of communication among various departments at all stages. Technical Services was able to provide us with packaging and feedback on how to manage kits with many pieces, based on their experience with puzzles and theme backpacks which were already circulating. Circulation provided input on procedures based on their experience with circulating technology. Keeping everyone involved throughout the process meant that there were minimal changes needed once everything was ready to go, and the launch of the circulating collection went very smoothly.
Our original launch included fourteen different kits, which have circulated an average of 10.5 times in seven months. We have also added five duplicates of popular kits and three new kits since then. Currently, we are focused on new ways to make the collection more visible now that the first flush of initial interest has waned.
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