Library of Things Lending Program Launches at Kim Yerton 

Memorial Library

The Humboldt County Public Library is pleased to announce the launch of the new Library of Things lending program at the Kim Yerton Memorial Library.

The Library of Things lending program allows community members to borrow physical items such as tools, cookware, gardening and fishing equipment, sewing machines and more. The program will also offer workshops led by elders and other educators to share knowledge of traditional technologies, as well as a book group for teens to support their growth as the next generation of community leaders.

The Library of Things lending program grew out of the “Creating a Community Focal Point in the Hoopa Valley” project, developed in partnership with the Hoopa Valley Tribe, which aims to promote self-sufficiency and support sustainable, traditional skills and connections.

This new program was made possible thanks to funds provided by the California State Library’s Sustainable California Libraries grant program, which supports projects focused on sustainability programming and climate resilience for adults and intergenerational groups. The Humboldt County Library is among the first 20 local library systems to receive this funding.

How to Participate

The Library of Things program is available for patrons of the Kim Yerton Memorial Library, located at 370 Loop Rd. in Hoopa. Any person aged 18 or older, with a Humboldt County library card and no outstanding library fines above $5, is eligible to participate in the Library of Things program. Items borrowed through the Library of Things program must be checked in and out at the library’s service desk and picked up within seven days of reservation. 

When borrowing items, a valid government issued ID with picture and current, local address must be presented. Participants must return their items at the end of their loan period. Failure to do so may result in suspension of Library of Things borrowing privileges. To ensure proper handling, returned items may not be placed in the book drop or left outside the library. Borrowers are responsible for the item and may be billed for reasonable repair, cleaning or replacement costs if the item or its accessories are damaged, lost or misused.

To sign up for a library card, please visit humlib.org. For more information on the Library of Things program or to participate in this program, please email HOOHUML@co.humboldt.ca.us or call 530-625-5082.

The Humboldt County Library’s programs and services are accessible to community members with disabilities. Please contact the library if you require Americans with Disability Act (ADA) accommodations by calling 530-625-5082.

About the Humboldt County Public Library

The Humboldt County Library strengthens the community by educating, inspiring and connecting people. The library’s vision is to help create and support a welcoming, healthy and prosperous community where there are abundant opportunities for learning and creativity. For more information about the Humboldt County Public Library, please visit humlib.org.

About the Kim Yerton Memorial Library

Dedicated in 1992, the Kim Yerton Memorial Library is named for a tribal member who dedicated her career to the collection and preservation of records and artifacts central to Hupa culture. This library houses the largest collection of Native American materials of any institution in the Humboldt County Public Library system and takes its part in making sure traditions are kept alive, while a doorway to the wide world is kept open. In 2007, Kim Yerton Memorial Library won a National Medal for Museum and Library Service, the nation’s highest honor for libraries and museums that help make their communities better places to live.