Imagine a library where hiking backpacks sit alongside books and shelves are organized around a relationship with nature rather than traditional genres. This vision comes to life at the Anythink Nature Library, home to a one-of-a-kind 34,000 item collection designed to inspire curiosity, exploration and environmental connection.
“So much work went into putting together this collection — it is truly the first of its kind,” said Maria Mayo-Peaseley, Nature Library branch manager.
When people visit the Nature Library, this one-of-a-kind quality will be evident right away. The Nature Library’s collection is categorized in a completely new way from other Anythink locations. While a traditional core collection contains popular titles for adults, teens and kids, the majority of the collection is divided into four sections inspired by the Environmental Kinship Guide.
The guide is a nature-based learning model centered on four pillars: learning about, in, with and for nature. These pillars became the four defining sections for the library’s massive, nature-based collection.
Mayo-Peaseley said this categorization will allow patrons the chance to authentically explore books and items by interest.
“It’s grouped by what you’re interested in that day,” she said.
The library’s About, In, With and For areas will each contain a mix of nature-themed fiction, nonfiction, academic, older, newer, adult, Spanish-language and children books.
The Anythink Collection Department never had a challenge quite like developing Nature Library’s collection.
The collections team had to consider each item carefully to determine where it would fit into the Environmental Kinship model. They had many discussions to about which books belonged in which sections. They debated questions such as: Are things like Bigfoot, dragons and Yeti nature myths? Where do homesteading books go? And, is outer space part of nature?
“This took a lot of work. This is a library that’s very different from other libraries,” said Daniel Alvarez, Anythink’s Collection Development manager. “The collection was designed to grow with the community as we learn how it can complement the environmental learning model.”
Their intention: The nature collections will continue to grow and change as guests interact with it. The same is true for the library’s Indigenous Voices Collection, which is “intentionally incomplete.”
“We will add materials on an ongoing basis, prioritizing the recommendations and feedback of the community,” said Logan Macdonald, the buyer for this collection and Anythink’s director of Products and Technology.
The Indigenous Voices Collection is an eclectic mix of fiction and nonfiction materials for all ages.
“It’s a collection of all kinds of knowledge … that are written by folks who are members of Indigenous tribes,” Macdonald said. “It’s very exciting.”
The Nature Library’s commitment to inspiring learning outdoors is also evident in the collection’s nature-focused library of things.
Guests will be able to check out over 500 TryIts experience kits, which are geared towards outside play and exploration. Among them are bug-catching kits, geology exploration kits, camping gear, hammocks, trek finder GPS devices, wildlife cameras, binoculars and telescopes.
You can explore the Nature Library’s revolutionary collection for yourself, starting with the Grand Opening on Saturday, Aug. 8. Learn more and RSVP to attend.