Cool Things to Borrow
Waterloo, ON
Borrow more than books with free access to games, hotspots, park passes, nature kits, and other useful items through Waterloo Public Library.
About
Waterloo Public Library’s Cool Things to Borrow collection helps people access useful, fun, and specialized items without having to buy them. The library’s current collection includes things like air monitors, bike locks, bike repair tool kits, board games and puzzles, C-Pen readers, digital microscopes, explore nature kits, hotspots, ice skates, keyboards, lawn games, LED projectors, Nintendo Switch kits, Nordic walking poles, and park and museum passes. This makes the program a great example of how public libraries can support low-waste living, learning, recreation, and everyday practical needs all at once.
How it works
Use your Waterloo Public Library card to borrow from the Cool Things to Borrow collection.
Choose items based on your needs, whether that is trying out a keyboard, borrowing a hotspot, taking home a board game, or checking out a nature kit.
Borrowing rules vary by item type. For example, board games and puzzles have a 3-week loan period, while some lawn games are available seasonally, and keyboards are borrowed through the Eastside Branch with an adult card.
Return items to the library so they can stay in circulation and be shared by other community members. Many items must be returned directly to staff rather than through a returns slot.
Why it’s low-waste
Waterloo Public Library makes it easy for people to borrow the kinds of items they may only need once in a while, from repair kits and projectors to ice skates, microscopes, and park passes. Instead of every household having to buy, store, and eventually discard these things, the library keeps them in active community use, making everyday life more affordable, flexible, and less wasteful.
Good for
Trying useful items before buying
Family activities and game nights
Nature exploration and outdoor recreation
Technology access
Waterloo residents looking for practical, low-waste borrowing options