Mt. Pleasant Library checks into the kitchen with cake pan rentals

BY BROOKS TAYLOR

Mt. Pleasant News

Libraries are known to have a variety of offerings. Over the years, libraries have expanded their services from books to books on tapes, CDs and DVDs, and now to cake pans.

While visiting family in another state, Barb Welander, of Mt. Pleasant, happened to go to the library in the community and noticed cake pans available for checkout. Welander thought that was a great idea, because cake pans are expensive, and she thought the idea might catch on in Mt. Pleasant.

Upon Welander?s return to Mt. Pleasant, she put her idea into motion, donating the first cake pan to the Mt. Pleasant Public Library on Oct. 22, 2014. Since that time, the inventory has grown to 68 pans, according to Sami Davis, a circulation assistant at the library. Davis handles the displaying and cataloging of the pans. Pans may be checked out from any library staff member.

Davis didn?t even know about the pans until she stumbled upon them among donated books in a back room of the library. ?I saw the cake pans and asked what was going on,? she recalled. That?s when she found out about Welander?s idea of cake pans available for checkout at the library.

The pans started stacking up in the back room while maintenance workers had to move some shelves to accommodate the pans. Before the pans are put on the shelves, Davis catalogs them. The inventory can be seen on the library?s website, www.mountpleasantiowalibrary.com, by searching ?cake pan collection.?

?Barbara is very diligent,? Davis said. ?She?s a hard worker and keeps asking about the process?I?m just doing the grunt work, the credit goes to her.?

Over the past year, the collection has steadily grown ?by leaps and bounds,? according to Davis. The collection including holiday themes, sports, super heroes and just about everything else in-between, including a vintage Mickey Mouse pan.

Davis said the Mickey Mouse pan is very expensive. ?The cost of replacement is about $150, it is our most expensive and most rare pan.?

Thus far, the pans have been advertised on the library?s Facebook page and through word of mouth. ?We have lots of grandmas looking for them to bake cakes for their grandkids and mothers coming in for the same thing,? Davis said.

The pans were put to use over the summer for a baking contest as part of the children?s summer reading program, Davis said, with the winner receiving a gift certificate.

In addition to Welander, Nancy McGohan, Connie Meth, Dorothy Wehage and Suzie Lundt have also donated pans.

Welander said baking pans are expensive, ranging from $25-$40, and some of the kids? birthday cake pans are used just once, so there is a distinct financial advantage of checking out a pan over purchasing one.

Pans can be reserved online or by giving the library a call at 319-385-1490.

Just like books, there are guidelines for checking out the pans. The person checking out the pan needs a valid library card and pans can be checked out for two-week periods, however there are no renewals or grace periods. A fine of $1 per day will be imposed on the tardy return of pans and there is a replacement cost of $25-$90 that will be assessed for each lost or damaged pan. There is also a $10 fine for unwashed pans. All cake pan care instructions should be followed and pans should be returned to the front desk inside the library.

So, the next time an individual is looking for that unique cake pan for someone?s birthday cake, check the library first before purchasing.