Library of Things
The Okotoks Public Library has many unique items that are available to borrow with a valid library card. Please contact library staff at 403-938-2220 to learn how to check out these items.
Snow shoes are available for a 1-week loan (no renewal). Each set contains 2 snowshoes, 2 poles, 2 baskets and 1 carrying bag. There are various sizes available:
Weight limit of:
- 80-120 lbs. (2 sets)
- Up to 100 lbs (3 sets)
- Up to 150 lbs. (4 sets)
- Up to 180 lbs. ( 1 set)
- Up to 200lbs. (4 sets)
- Up to 250lbs. (2 sets)
Did you know you can burn up to 46% more calories using walking poles compared to simply walking? Our walking pole sets are available for a 1-week loan (2 renewals allowed). There are 12 sets available.
Take advantage of the Town of Okotoks new Disc Golf Course by checking out a disc golf set! Disc golf sets supplied by Okotoks Walmart through the Walmart Canada Community Grant. Each set includes:
- 1 Fairway Driver disc
- 1 Midrange disc
- 1 Putt & Approach disc
- Carrying bag with shoulder strap
- Score cards
Explore the great outdoor year round with the help of a Discovery Nature Pack! These packs are available for a 3-week loan (no renewals). The packs include:
- 4 books
- 6 laminated pamphlets
- 2 booklets
- magnifying square
- binoculars
- 1 erasable marker
- first aid kit
Looking to lower your monthly electricity bill? Fortis Alberta wants to help you get started by figuring out how much your appliances are actually costing you each month. These power monitors, supplied to the library courtesy of Fortis Alberta allows you to better understand your electricity consumption and costs. Available for a 1-week loan (1 renewal).
Get into joyful retro gaming with our selection of retro gaming consoles! Each console is available for a 3-week loan (no renewals). Available consoles include:
- Super Nintendo Classic Edition (1 console)
- Sega Genesis Classic Game (1 console)
- Sega Genesis Flashback (2 consoles)
- Atari Flashback 8 Gold (1 console)
- Legends Flashback game console (1 console)
Print book, meet audio book. VOX™ Books are the world’s first audio books that live in print books. The permanently attached VOX™ Reader transforms an ordinary print book into an all-in-one read-along. There’s no need for computers, tablets or CDs. Children simply push a button to listen and read. VOX™ Books are available for a 3-week loan (2 renewals). There is a wide variety of titles available:
- The adventures of Beekle : the unimaginary friend by Dan Santat
- Airplanes by Thomas K. Adamson
- Baby elephants by Christina Leaf
- Baby penguins by Kari Schuetz
- The bad seed by Jory John
- Chameleons by Kari Schuetz
- Click, clack, moo : cows that type by Doreen Cronin
- The cool bean by Jory John
- A different pond by Bao Phi
- The digger and the flower by Joseph Kuefler
- Dolphins by Ann Herriges
- Don't push the button! by Bill Cotter
- Fire trucks by Mary Lindeen
- Giant pandas by Kari Schuetz
- Golden retrievers by Chris Bowman
- The good egg by Jory John
- Goodnight moon by Margaret Wise Brown
- Gum by Nancy Willard
- Have you seen Elephant? by David Barrow
- Hey black child by Useni Eugene Perkins
- A hundred billion trillion stars by Seth Fishman
- I am enough by Grace Byers
- In the past by David Elliott
- Inky the octopus by Erin Guendelsberger
- ish by Peter H. Reynolds
- It came in the mail by Ben Clanton
- Jabari jumps by Gaia Cornwall
- The legend of rock paper scissors by Drew Daywalt
- Little Ree by Ree Drummond
- A loud winter's nap by Katy Hudson
- The monsters' monster by Patrick McDonnell
- Nobody hugs a cactus by Carter Goodrich
- A perfectly messed-up story by Patrick McDonnell
- Pete the cat and his magic sunglasses by James Dean
- A place for Pluto by Stef Wade
- Sam & Dave dig a hole by Mac Barnett
- Sheep dog and Sheep sheep by Eric Barclay
- Sometimes rain by Meg Fleming
- Sorry (really sorry) by Joanna Cotler
- Stardines swim high across the sky and other poems by Jack Prelutsky
- That's what dinosaurs do by Jory John
- The tiptoeing tiger by Philippa Leathers
- Too many carrots by Katy Hudson
- Trains by Mary Lindeen
- Warthogs and banded mongooses by Kari Schuetz
- What the dinosaurs did last night : a very messy adventure by Refe Tuma
And more!
Are you ready to jump start your family's literacy? Today's families are living and growing in a digital world. Our new Jump Start Literacy Kits will help you and your child step away from your screens and engage in meaningful play. Each themed kit contains specially selected books, activities, toys and an informative guide for caregivers all contained in fun, colourful carrying case! Jump Start Literacy Kits are for families and children ages 1-5 and are available for a 1-week loan (2 renewals). Thank you to our generous sponsor: 100 Women Who Care for supporting this amazing initiative! Themes available include:
- Animals (2 kits)
- Bugs (2 kits)
- Dinosaurs (2 kits)
- Fantasy
- First Years (Ages 1-16 months) (2 kits)
- Nature
- Things That Go (2 kits)
The Okotoks Arts Council and Okotoks Public Library are pleased to announce that a large collection of video equipment is now available on loan. The donation made to the Library by the Okotoks Arts Council includes a broad range of equipment that will make it easier for aspiring filmmakers to explore the medium.
Film equipment is available for a 3-week loan (no renewals) for users ages 18+ with a valid library account that is in good standing. To place a hold on film equipment, click here (or search 'Okotoks film equipment collection' on tracpac.ab.ca and click 'Where is it'), and select the desired item as shown below:
Film equipment that is currently available includes:
- Canon Camera (includes two lenses and rechargeable battery packs) with external flash
- Scene Slate
- Video Light (2 available) - Can be paired with the Light Stand
- Condenser Microphone - Can be paired with the Mic Boom Pole and the Recorder
- Follow Focus
- Gimbal Stabilizer
- Light Gels
- Light Stand (2 available)
- Mic Boom Pole - Pairs with the Condenser Mic
- 32GB Micro SDHC Card (5 available)
- Recorder - Pairs with the Condenser Mic to record audio.
- Reflector
- Slider - Pairs with the Camera (and Tripod, if desired).
- Tripod - Can be used with just the Camera, or with the Slider.
Outdoor Games are available for a 1-week loan (no renewal).
- 3-Hole Bean Bag Toss
- Barrel Bash
- Bocce Ball
- Folding Ladderball
- Giant Dice Game
- Giant Jumbling Tower
- Giant Checkers/Four-in-a-Row
- Horseshoes Sets (x2)
- Kubb
- Lawn Darts
- Mini Frisbee Golf
- Portable Badminton
- Ring Toss
- Washer Toss
Sponsored by the Sheep River Health Trust
Thanks to the Sheep River Health Trust the library now offers digital literacy kits for seniors ages 65+. Each kit includes a Chromebook laptop, wired mouse, laptop bag, instruction manual, Chromebook for Seniors book, and a Wi-fi hotspot with unlimited data (within Canada only) and is available for a 3-week loan.
Library staff will be available for scheduled one-on-one training for assistance with the Chromebooks.
Are you looking for different ways to engage with your loved one with dementia? Created in partnership with the Town of Okotoks, Memory Kits are made up of games and activities that create opportunities for caregivers and their loved one to have meaningful and engaging visits. Choose from a variety of Memory Kits with different topics on each visit to the library. Kits are available for a 3-week loan (2 renewals) with a valid library card. Holds can be placed online here, by phone at 403-938-2220, or in-person at the library. Click here to watch a video and learn more about Memory Kits.
- Remembering the 1950s (Click here to watch a video about this themed kit)
- The Great Outdoors
- Pets
- Farm
- Handyman
- Homemaker
- Summer
- Spring
- Autumn
- Winter
- Inspirations
- Journeys
- Seasons
Our portable CD players play CDs and MP3 CDs. Use to listen to Library audiobooks, or your own music CDs! Available for a 3-week loan (no renewals).
Happy Light lamps are meant to be used for 15 minutes to an hour each day, and may help to improve sleep, mood, energy, and focus. Please make sure to read the safety instructions before use! We have four Happy Lights available to check out on a 3-week loan, with no renewals.
Having trouble sleeping? Why not give one of our white noise machines a try?These machines feature 24 soothing sounds to choose from (7 white noise sounds, 7 fan sounds, 10 nature sounds). Relaxing!Place a hold here or search for 'Okotoks technology collection' in the TRACpac app
We have various useful tech items, such as:
- Phone charging kits (USB-C, Micro USB, and Lightning)
- 64GB USB Thumb Drives for transferring files between computers
- Aux cables and USB-C to Aux cables (can be used with a phone, portable CD player, or Playaway to play audio through a compatible vehicle's speaker system)
Thanks to the Community Access to Ventilation Information (CAVI) program, the library now has 5 Aranet Home CO2 monitors for loan with a valid library card. These monitors are available for a 3-week loan (no renewals). Click here to learn more about Carbon Dioxide (CO2) monitoring for indoor air quality and how to use the monitor.
We encourage library users who check out a CO2 monitor to share their experience by completing an online survey on the CAVI website.
Please note these monitors are used for Carbon Dioxide (CO2) not Carbon Monoxide (CO). CO (carbon monoxide) is a gas that is often called the silent killer because it contains no smell, colour, or taste and can cause illness or death. CO is produced when things like coal, gasoline, natural gas, oil, propane, wood, or tobacco are burned. CO risks are present year-round, but can be riskier in the winter when people are heatng their homes. Other sources of CO include vehicle exhaust, BBQs, and lawn equipment.
CO2 is another gas, but is mainly produced when people exhale. Reducing CO2 can be done by increasing ventilation and decreasing the number of people in one space.