Library hosts swap for jigsaw puzzles

AUBURN – The Auburn Memorial Library is doing its part to meet demand for jigsaw puzzles from quarantine to snow days.

Library Director Heather Koeneke says puzzles for kids have been a popular item in the past, but this year teens and adults are taking advantage of a puzzle swap.

Koeneke: “They love it. They absolutely love it.”

The pandemic shut down the library for weeks last spring, but activity began slowly to improve with curbside delivery for checkouts. Puzzles gained in demand.

Koeneke: “When the pandemic started last year we actually had people calling and asking if we had puzzles for adults.”

 

 

She said they had a few puzzles for kids that were loaned out frequently, but those were in the 10 to 60-piece range. Adults puzzles are more complex.

Koeneke: “What stopped me was I couldn’t fathom counting a thousand pieces, you know, if a puzzle went out. When the kids’ puzzles come back we make sure all the pieces are there. We count them and I couldn’t fathom counting a thousand piece puzzle.”

She was encouraged by a librarian in Geneva who said a puzzle swap will work by letting the puzzlers make sure all the pieces are there.

Koeneke: “I brought a few puzzles of my own to get it started and I put it out on our Facebook page. I put it out on Swap and Talk. Within two days we had like 25 puzzles donated and now we’re up to, I lost count, but I know we’re up to over 60.”

She said you don’t need a library card for the puzzle swap and there is no checkout, so you can take all the time you need.