"This vending device works like a regular vending machine except it is free. All you need is your library card," said Angela Luna, the library's marketing coordinator. The sleek, white machine is the first of its kind in Northwest Indiana and only the second in the state, she noted.
"This innovative addition aims to enhance accessibility to our materials for our patrons," Luna said. The device is located on the 7300 block of Southeastern Avenue, in the parking lot owned by Woodmar United Methodist Church, in front of the YMCA. The materials inside are specific to the device and in addition to the library's normal items.
"Patrons can scan or input their card number and be able to check out and return materials," Luna said. The device also allows patrons to sign up for a library card. And the site will be an internet hotspot, allowing patrons to connect to free Wi-Fi while near it.
The library system is calling the device and the related campaign, "Your Library Where You Are." This new chapter title for old public libraries across the county is just another way to engage with patrons and adapt to an ever-evolving digital landscape. The COVID-19 pandemic was a punch in the gut to public libraries, but to their credit most branches devised brilliant and determined ways to continue serving the public.
"The Hammond Public Library was the only library in the state of Indiana that opened by June of 2020, and we remained open during the pandemic with safety precautions," Luna said. "W.
