Last year, Apollo already started lending things out, but since the beginning of this academic year it is also an official UnionCard Xtra, allowing all students with a UnionCard to borrow things.
‘During corona there was a lot of money left that would normally be used by cultural associations to organise performances’, explains Rian Holtrighter, one of the committee members running the library. ‘Since many performances those years needed to be cancelled, this money needed to be spent somewhere else. Then the idea arose to invest it into a place that allows people to delve into the things they already do or try out something new. It took quite some time to gather input and decide on which materials should be available in the library, but after some years now the library is finally ready to lend things out to all students with a UnionCard.’
How it works
After all the preparations, the library has materials in all kinds of categories; textile hobbies, music, theatre, photography and more. Instruction manuals are included, as well as the materials needed to get started. People who want to borrow items need to sign up via the Apollo website and come by during the regular opening hours to borrow something, or contact the committee for a different moment.
Only a small deposit needs to be paid, but besides that the library is free to use. ‘People can borrow items for three weeks, so they are also allowed to take them home with them. This way students can work on their stuff from their own home, as opposed to other places that offer some similar tools on campus, like DesignLab’, explains Holtrighter.
What lies ahead
For the future, Holtrighter hopes the library can also organise some more activities, next to just providing the materials. ‘This can bring people who are interested in certain hobbies together, also those for which there is no association on campus. This would also allow them to organise things like workshops, so people can master their hobby more easily. This way, we hope to make these creative hobbies more accessible for everyone.’
Holtrighter hopes to see many new faces at the library, also people who aren’t currently active in culture associations. The library can be found in the Apollo room, which is near the library entrance of the Vrijhof.
People who want more information can also check out the website, or follow the HTC-library on Instagram.
