Pickleball Set Lending Program: Starting April 11, the Tecumseh branch of Essex County Library is offering a new service for the community — the ability to borrow pickleball sets. This addition is part of the library’s expanding active living collection designed to encourage outdoor activity and support healthy living.
Pickleball Sets Available for Borrowing
As part of the new initiative, library cardholders can borrow a variety of sports equipment, including pickleball sets, tennis sets, walking poles, and a disc golf set. This collection is designed to promote community wellness and outdoor recreation, especially as the weather warms up.
Essex County Library Chief Librarian Adam Craig explained the library’s desire to provide more than just traditional book lending. “We’ve already done something similar in Essex with pickleball rackets and a couple of other items. We know that there’s a need for this in the community,” Craig said. He also emphasized that the library’s mission is to expand its services beyond books and DVDs.
Supporting Active Living in the Community
The pickleball sets are part of a larger effort to promote active living and provide accessible recreational options to residents. Craig noted that this initiative is especially popular in Canadian libraries, where similar programs have been well received.
“I think the library been about books and dvds and things like that for so long, we’re trying to branch out into other things and this is a popular thing in Canadian libraries is being about more than just books.” – (Craig)
Seasonal Popularity and Future Expansion
While the pickleball sets and other items are available seasonally, Craig believes they will be highly popular, especially as the weather improves.
“You can’t really be outside playing pickleball in the snow, but during the on-season when the weather allows, it’s tremendously popular.” – (Craig)
Essex County Library plans to expand the active living collection to more branches in the future, aiming to bring these services to an even larger portion of the community.
News in Brief: Pickleball Set Lending Program
Essex County Library’s Tecumseh branch is offering pickleball sets, tennis sets, and other recreational equipment for borrowing starting April 11. The program is designed to promote healthy living and outdoor activities, with plans for future expansion to other library branches.