How to Start a Tool-Lending Library
A “How-to” developed for Earthday 2022
The Why: Someone told me once that the average drill gets used 4 times in its life. That is sad! Don’t be sad! Share your drill and borrow someone else’s saw!
The What: This doesn’t need to be high-stress, very organized, legally sanctioned, or much work at all. You don’t even need anything fancy like a “location,” just stuff you’ve already got, people willing to share, and an open-access cloud-based spreadsheet. Here’s an example of the spreadsheet:
https://bit.ly/ExampleToolLendingLibrary
Click “File–> Copy” to start your own.
Put in the stuff you are willing to loan to future friends, then post it on your neighborhood social media. This is a no money, at your own risk type of deal. When it takes off, you will be a neighborhood hero like our friend Robert. If it really-really takes off, your local library may want to start one too. Public libraries are an awesome host for tool lending and can do: staff, tool sharpening and repair, public funding, and it’s still free (whut?!?).
Aren’t libraries great!