The library is still the place people can come to find a good book. Patrons still curl up with books and newspapers in the well-lit reading area. But the world should know that the library offers many additional services beyond the traditional expectations and childhood memories.

The Muskogee Public Library has long offered such things as literacy services, the world catalog, free databases that help with job searches and individually tailored education. Babies, teens and adults can all find something fun and interesting in one of the library's programs. There is a new such activity the public needs to know about — a craft exchange.

Craft books at the library fairly fly off the shelves. There is a constant demand. Sooner or later, the avid craftsperson exhausts our collection and even those of the system in the never-ending hunt for more patterns, instructions, ideas and inspiration. Therefore the library has started a craft pattern exchange, which is expanding into workshops and classes.

A beige metal file cabinet sits next to the video shelves. The drawers hold patterns and even magazines alphabetized by craft from applique to woodworking. The top of the cabinet holds more freebies for avid craftspeople and little handouts with the names of library books, YouTube tutorials, and teaching blogs for each craft.

The exchange is basically patron-run under an honor system. Bring in old used or unwanted patterns (up to five at a time) and exchange them for up to five free patterns. These are for personal use only and cannot be resold or used for commercial purpose. Some of the patterns will be under Creative Commons licensing and products made from these patterns may be sold, but not the patterns themselves.

Some patrons who have already taken advantage of the craft exchange have also started coming to a craft workshop. It began as a crochet workshop, but the attendees decided to open it up to all crafts and all levels of expertise. The workshops are tentatively scheduled for the first Tuesday of every month (not including January, which has been rescheduled for the third Tuesday). Bring your craft project to work on and if you have a problem with it, maybe you’ll find someone there who can help or you can help someone else.

There are pamphlets available with a sign up sheet to help the workshops get organized. Please fill it out with your contact information, interests, availability and level of expertise and return it to the circulation desk.

If there is enough demand for classes and enough people to teach them, the classes will be created and offered. The Muskogee Public Library (EODLS) will be a welcoming place for crafty people to work together and learn from each other.