Berkley Public Library launches free retro-themed "Burkebuster" media space
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The Berkley Public Library has opened a retro-themed media space called Burkebuster where patrons can borrow DVDs, Blu-rays and curated media boxes free with a library card, Caitlin Flora, director of communications, said in an online presentation.
Lisa Beth Conger, the library’s media librarian, said the idea grew from her first job at a video store and from observing similarities between that role and the library’s media circulation. "People coming in, choosing their entertainment, families coming in and making those decisions together," Conger said, describing her motivation to recreate a neighborhood video-store experience free to the community.
The program debuts with two curated collections: "Friday Night," described as nostalgic television from about 1950 forward, and "Saturday Morning," focused on children’s television and movies. Conger said the collections are intended to encourage cross-generational sharing, with grandparents and parents introducing titles they enjoyed to younger family members.
Conger also described practical access details: patrons with home-library cards in a consortium of about 45 libraries may use Berkley’s collections, and the library can obtain physical media from other libraries in Michigan via interlibrary loan when titles exist elsewhere. Flora noted that Burkebuster and related merchandise were made available through donations to the Friends of the Berkley Library and that some items were offered at least through November 2025. "It was all generously funded by the Friends of the Berkley Library," Flora said.
The space includes interactive features aimed at community engagement: a gumball machine that dispenses movie recommendations (not gum), "scratch-and-sniff" stickers paired with recommendations, a "Binge Box" (a themed box of movies with activities and occasional recipes), and a magnetic-poetry board inviting patrons to summarize a movie plot in five words or less. Conger said these elements are designed to encourage participation and make the library inviting to patrons who may not yet think of the library as for them. "We hope that this brings out people who have never realized that the library is for them," she said.
For more information about Burkebuster, library services and events, the presentation directed listeners to the library's YouTube channel at youtube.com/cityofberkley.
Lisa Beth Conger, the library’s media librarian, said the idea grew from her first job at a video store and from observing similarities between that role and the library’s media circulation. "People coming in, choosing their entertainment, families coming in and making those decisions together," Conger said, describing her motivation to recreate a neighborhood video-store experience free to the community.
The program debuts with two curated collections: "Friday Night," described as nostalgic television from about 1950 forward, and "Saturday Morning," focused on children’s television and movies. Conger said the collections are intended to encourage cross-generational sharing, with grandparents and parents introducing titles they enjoyed to younger family members.
Conger also described practical access details: patrons with home-library cards in a consortium of about 45 libraries may use Berkley’s collections, and the library can obtain physical media from other libraries in Michigan via interlibrary loan when titles exist elsewhere. Flora noted that Burkebuster and related merchandise were made available through donations to the Friends of the Berkley Library and that some items were offered at least through November 2025. "It was all generously funded by the Friends of the Berkley Library," Flora said.
The space includes interactive features aimed at community engagement: a gumball machine that dispenses movie recommendations (not gum), "scratch-and-sniff" stickers paired with recommendations, a "Binge Box" (a themed box of movies with activities and occasional recipes), and a magnetic-poetry board inviting patrons to summarize a movie plot in five words or less. Conger said these elements are designed to encourage participation and make the library inviting to patrons who may not yet think of the library as for them. "We hope that this brings out people who have never realized that the library is for them," she said.
For more information about Burkebuster, library services and events, the presentation directed listeners to the library's YouTube channel at youtube.com/cityofberkley.
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