MATTAPOISETT — Metal detectors. Telescopes. Guitars. Portable hotspots. 

Those are some of the items that visitors can check out at the Mattapoisett Free Public Library.

And, of course, books. 

Visitors could view these objects up close, chat with staff and munch on snacks at the open house held Wednesday, April 6 to celebrate National Library Week.

The event also doubled as a chance for the public to meet Jennifer Jones, the library director, who started on the job just before the pandemic started.

“I had been wanting to have an open house’’ to meet the community, she said. “I decided it would be nice to have an open house during National Library Week,’’ which runs from April 3 to 9.

People do not always realize how many items they can check out of the library, Jones said. 

With some of the pricier objects, such as the metal detectors, taking them out for a brief time can give people the chance to sample the item before making a purchase.

“It’s like try before you buy,’’ she said.

The library also sees considerable use of its computers and printers, Jones noted. Newer fiction and non-fiction, children’s books and magazines are especially popular, she said.

“People still want to read for pleasure,’’ she said.

Children’s programming draws in the community, she said, with 30 kids at a time often in attendance. 

The open house also provided information about the Friends of the Mattapoisett Library, a volunteer group that aims to improve library services and hosts fund-raising activities such as the used book sale and the annual jewelry sale. 

Visitors could also learn about the Mattapoisett Library Trust, a charitable organization that underwrites programs and enhances the collection beyond what normal library budgets would cover. 

Library use has grown since the pandemic, she said, and is budget-friendly.

“Instead of buying books, you can borrow them,’’ she said. “The library saves people money.’’