Here are 7 cool things you might not know about Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library
The Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library is "not just a place to check out books."
That statement from Diana Friend, the library's communications and marketing director, illustrates how options include two recording studios, a blown glass solar system, a genealogy center and cake pan at the library, 1515 S.W. 10th Ave.
In recognition of National Library Day, which is Saturday, The Capital-Journal is highlighting seven cool things the library offers that people might not know about.
A Cake Pan Library. While parents planning a children's party can buy pans to enable them to bake a cake featuring the Little Mermaid or Thomas the Tank Engine, those probably won't be used more than once. That's where the library comes in. Customers may check out cake pans for up to 14 days from its Kids Library featuring various designs that include a guitar, a firetruck, Hello Kitty, Elsa from "Frozen" and even Darth Vader.
Two recording studios. The library's Level 2 Tech Center offers a video recording studio and an audio recording studio, both of which are available to the public. The center also features a digital art studio, a 3D printer, a Cricut craft machine, five small meeting rooms and 30 desktop computers. Anyone with a library card may use one of the desktop computers for as many as five hours per day. To use specialized equipment, customers must also receive training.
Interlibrary loans. Customers need not despair if they're looking for a book the Topeka library doesn't have. That library takes part with various other libraries in an interlibrary loan program, Customers with a library card and pin number may use the Topeka library's website to find out if any other libraries involved with that partnership have the book they want. No borrowing fees are charged for interlibrary loans.
Story Time. Preschoolers and their parents gather at 10 a.m. each Tuesday and Thursday for Preschool Story Time at the Story Zone in the Kids Library. A "Musical Story Time" featuring Kyler Carpenter is offered there at 10 a.m. on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month.
The Dr. Phillip and Betty Baker Genealogy Center. The library offers this center in the Topeka Room on its second floor. The entire area is set aside as a space to focus on research. The center's offerings — in print or electronic form — include obituaries, census records, Topeka city directories and cemetery indices. Librarians are present to assist customers all 78 hours a week that the library is open.
Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. The Topeka library and the United Way of Greater Topeka team up to offer this free program financed by singer Dolly Parton, whose father was unable to read or write. The program offers a new, carefully selected book each month from birth until their 5th birthday to each Shawnee County child registered to take part.
A blown glass solar system created by Topeka artist Doug Sheafor hangs from the ceiling in the science section of the Kids Library. The exhibit took three months to prepare and was designed to help spark children's interest in science, according to the library's website.
Contact Tim Hrenchir at threnchir@gannett.com or 785-213-5934.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Topeka library offers these cool things not everyone might know about
