Library building

Keene Public Library

Library of Things, Garden Tools, and Outdoor Gear Collections

The Keene Public Library lends out a variety of equipment, gear, and tools that promote engagement, creativity, and recreation. These Items range from telescopes and sewing machines to pruning saws and snowshoes.

Items from the Library of Things, Garden Tool Library, and Outdoor Gear Library collections can now be reserved up to 6 months in advance. Click here to place a reservation. Please allow staff 24 hours to process pending reservation requests and retrieve reserved Items.

To access more resources for gardeners, visit our Seed and Garden Tool Lending Library webpage.

What to Know Before Placing a Reservation and Borrowing an Item

  • Who Can Reserve and Borrow Items? (Click to expand)

    • Items from the Library of Things collection can only be borrowed by Keene Public Library cardholders
      • Items in the Library of Things were acquired through Keene Public Library’s tax-funded operating budget
    • Items from the Garden Tool Library can be borrowed by both Keene Public Library cardholders and any resident of Cheshire County who registers for a Cheshire County Special Borrowers card
      • Items in the Garden Tool Library were acquired by the Keene Public Library through a partnership with the Cheshire County Conservation District (CCCD), Antioch University New England's Community Garden Connections (CGC), and the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT)
    • Items in the Outdoor Gear Library may be borrowed by both Keene Public Library cardholders and any resident of Cheshire County who registers for a Cheshire County Special Borrowers card
      • Items in the Outdoor Gear Library were acquired by the Keene Public Library through a partnership with Healthy Monadnock Alliance and the Cheshire County Conservation District (CCCD)
    • Borrowers must be 18 years of age or older
      • Parents/guardians may check out Items for use by their children under 18 years of age
    • Borrower accounts must be in Good Standing in order to reserve and borrow Items
      • Accounts that have expired or have balances over $10.00 can not be used to reserve Items

    Please contact the library's circulation desk at (603) 352-0157 to resolve any difficulty experienced when attempting to place a reservation

  • Know the Rules before you Borrow (Click to expand)

    Click here to view the Library of Things, Garden Tools, and Outdoor Gear Library Collections Policy

    • Borrowers may have only three Items on loan at a time

    • An Item may only be borrowed by the same person only three times per year

    • Items can only be used by members of the Borrower's immediate household

    • All Items check out for one week (7 days), with the exception of the Seed Starter Kit, which checks out for 90 days

    • Borrowers may opt to renew their request to borrow the item, to the extent that there is no waiting list for said Item

    • Items must be picked up at and returned to the library's circulation desk during open hours

    • Items must be returned on time, clean and in the same condition as they were issued, barring normal wear and tear

    • A late fee of $5.00 per day per Item will be charged for every day the Keene Public Library is open until the Item is returned

    • Borrowers with $10.00 or more in late or damage fees will be barred from borrowing Items, (and other Library Materials if they are Keene Public Library cardholders,) until their accounts are paid in full

Please tell us about your experience borrowing items from our Library Of Things, Garden Tools, And Outdoor Gear Collections.
Your feedback is appreciated and helps improve the program.
Your answers will be kept confidential.
Click here to complete a short survey.

  • Step-By-Step Guide to Reserving Objects (Click to expand)

    Step 1: Search for an object by:

    • Selecting "Browse all Library of Things, Garden Tools Library, and Outdoor Gear Library Items" to display all objects
    • Selecting a specific collection to display only the objects in that particular collection
    • Searching for a specific by name using the search box located in the upper-left corner of the window; after clicking "Search," select one of the displayed collections to view the object

    Step 2: After locating an object, click on Details/Borrow to display an object's description.

    Step 3: To reserve an object, click the Borrow This Object button to display the object's reservation calendar (the webpage will refresh and jump to the top of the page again; scroll down to the reservation window to continue).

    Step 4: Look at the available dates on the calendar and select a range of 7 days by first clicking on one date, followed by a second date 6 days after the first (Please note that reservations run Tuesday through Monday, Wednesday through Tuesday, etc... and can not begin or end on a day that the library is closed).

    *** For dates that extend between two months, select the reservation start date, followed by the remaining dates of the month. Next, click the button that begins "Add Days Into..." to select the remaining dates of the reservation.***

    Assabet Date Selection

    Assabet Date Selection

    Step 5: After 7 dates have been highlighted in green, click Confirm Loan Dates to continue (the webpage will refresh and jump to the top of the page again; scroll down to the reservation window).

    Step 6: Review the requested reservation period and confirm by clicking Continue.

    Step 7: Enter your library barcode number into the space provided and click Continue. (Please note that reservations can only be submitted for adult Keene Public Library accounts in good standing. Contact the library at (603) 352-0157 if you have any questions.)

    Step 8: Review the object's available inventory and select the specific item you wish to reserve.

    Step 9: If you do not have a phone number on file with us, you will be required to enter one before continuing. An email address is not required; however, confirmation and reminder emails will not be sent if an email address is not available. 

    Step 10: Review the Terms and Conditions of Usage and check the box to agree to abide by them.

    Step 11: Click Continue to complete your reservation request. An email will be automatically sent to the email address provided explaining that the reservation is awaiting approval.

    Step 12: Library staff will review your reservation request and either approve or deny the request.

    Step 13: Upon approval, you will receive another email stating that your reservation has been approved.

    Step 14: A reminder email is automatically generated two days before a reservation's start date (reminder emails will not be sent for reservations that begin within 48 hours of a request submission).

    Contact the library at (603) 352-0157 if you have any questions. Thank you for using our new reservation system.

Select a category from below to view the items in that collection.
You can also use the search box to look up a specific Item.