NEW BERLIN — Did you know you can check out a guitar, a power drill — even a Halloween costume — from the New Berlin Public Library?
That surprise is what first caught our attention during TMJ4’s “Let’s Talk New Berlin” listening session, when a resident shared how their library offers far more than shelves of books.
Not long after, a “trust fall” video filmed inside the library — captioned “You can trust the library” — took off online, drawing more than 13 million views.
What started as a playful clip has turned into a spotlight on how the library encourages creativity and connection, in part through its Library of Things program.
“We have your usual books and programming, but we’ve got really fun things in our Library of Things collection,” said Tiff Kelly, the library’s adult services librarian.
Under the main floor, the collection includes items that residents can borrow instead of buying — such as board games, bikes, microphones, and camping gear. The online catalog also lists telescopes, STEM kits, coding robots, projectors, and kitchen tools like waffle makers and food dehydrators.
“People can borrow what they need without spending extra money,” Kelly said.
Watch: How the New Berlin Library is bringing neighbors together in unexpected ways
The collection is open to all New Berlin Public Library cardholders.
New Berlin resident Cathie Hintz said she was surprised by how much the library had to offer.
“I was amazed. Our library is actually so cool — there are so many things you can rent,” Hintz said, leaving the library with a costume picked out.
Kelly said staff manage a rack of more than 140 Halloween costumes for adults and children to check out for free. Last year, the rack was empty by Halloween.
“Halloween costumes are a thing you wear once and never think about again,” Kelly said. “So why not borrow one?”
Kelly said while the video has brought new attention, the library’s goal remains the same — creating a space where people connect and learn in new ways.
“We want people to read and learn and educate, but also have fun and enjoy themselves,” she said.
Since the video spread online, Kelly said the library has received messages from as far away as Australia and the Philippines.
“A lot of comments say, ‘Wow, I need to go back to my library,’” Kelly said. “That’s why we do what we do. I hope it’s a big victory for libraries everywhere."
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