Library roundup

When people think of libraries, they think of books. Books will always be the heart of the library, and with over 47,000 books in our collection, there are plenty to choose from no matter your taste.

Beyond books, the library has long carried music CDs and movies and tv shows on both DVD and Blu-ray. In the past several years our “Collection of Things” that can be borrowed has grown. Starting with yard games to be enjoyed in the warm weather, we then followed that collection with board games and puzzles for indoor fun. A Roku stick is available for movie marathons and a Dungeons & Dragons kit for some tabletop role playing adventures. The Libratory @ Home kits help you gain new skills and learn to knit, crochet or metal stamp. One of our more recent additions are HomeBoost Kits provided by Orange & Rockland to help you do a home energy assessment.

But we have a brand-new addition to the Library of Things: Accessibility Kits. These kits let you borrow a variety of tools to test out to see how it may assist your life or someone you know.

First, there is the Adapt Kit. It contains an assortment of tools to help with physical limitations. Included are both handheld and full-page lighted magnifiers, a grabber can help with reach, and a dressing stick and button hook can aid with those tasks for people who may have physical limitations. For those who want to keep cooking, it includes a set of HandleMagic ergonomic bag carriers for hauling in the groceries, jar and bottle openers and a Pan Buddy to provide support and leverage for lifting pans.

If you, or someone you know, gets overwhelmed with sensory overload, try the Calm Kit. With a weighted lap pad, noise reducing earmuffs and tinted blue-light blocking glasses, you can create a calm and quiet space in the middle of chaos.

Lastly, there is the Focus Kit with a variety of fidgets to try, such as a Magnatab, Therapy Putty and a Tangle. If you think fidgets are just distractions for kids, you would be wrong. According to Brown University Health COAST Clinic: fidget tools “provide an easy and accessible way to help self-regulate or concentrate by providing auditory, visual and/or tactile input.” While in the past you might have had to rely on clicking your pen or playing with that twist-tie laying around, now you can try some new tools to see what works for you.

All these kits are available for checkout in our adult collection now. If you’re curious, take one home next time you’re in the library.

The Goshen Public Library and Historical Society is located at 366 Main St. in Goshen. For information, call 845-294-6606.