The Wichita Eagle: “Public libraries are pretty cool places. Not only do they let you borrow books, DVDs, video games and e-books or access the internet for free, but many libraries around Wichita have expanded their collections to include some unusual items. Like cake pans. And fishing poles. And costumes. And plug-in energy meters.

“We’re one of the last holdouts of free spaces, where you’re not expected to buy anything,” said Katherine Williams, library support specialist for the South Central Kansas Library System, a network of libraries in 12 counties around Wichita…”