Buying something with good intentions, using it once, and then watching it gather dust is a familiar modern dilemma. People everywhere are downsizing, cutting consumption, and minimizing waste to prioritize long-term viability and resource conservation. In Concord, CPL is leaning into that shift with a growing collection of sharing programs that let residents borrow rather than buy.
Borrowing Tools and Tech Without the Price Tag
The library’s Library of Things program operates on a simple premise: why purchase an item if you only need to try it out once? The collection includes more than 30 different items available free of charge to anyone with a library card. Concord parents can check out an Orion StarBlast telescope for family stargazing nights without spending a cent, while other patrons use the collection’s paper shredder or karaoke machine.
Families can also preserve old photo slides and VHS tapes using dedicated digitization equipment. While staff report no confirmed discoveries of buried treasure, a library-loaned metal detector has helped more than one local resident find a lost wedding ring. Full details on borrowing procedures and available gear are listed on the official Library of Things page.
Library Launches Seed Exchange and Puzzle Sharing Program
The library expanded its sustainability efforts in 2024 by debuting a seed library known as the Vegetation Station, funded by the CPL Foundation. Patrons have access to over 50 varieties of vegetable, herb, and flower seeds alongside cultivation guides. Gardeners can pair these seeds with the library’s gardening book collection and free online lessons via Universal Class, then harvest and save seeds from their own plants to donate back to CPL the following year.
Most recently, a Puzzle Exchange launched in 2026 to give gently used jigsaw puzzles a second life instead of heading to a landfill. Library staff repurposed existing furniture to house the collection rather than purchasing new shelving. Free puzzles offer a practical resource for seniors and families on fixed incomes, providing indoor activities as the long New Hampshire winter approaches.
