A tool library is a type of library that lends out items. These libraries let people borrow tools, equipment, and instructional guides. They may charge money for borrowing items or offer them for free as a way for the community to share resources.

A tool library performs the following main tasks:

History

The first tool lending library was started by the Gross Pointe Rotary Club in Gross Pointe, Michigan in 1943.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the first generation of tool lending libraries began. In 1976, a tool lending library was started in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally run by the city, but now it is operated by ModCon Living, a non-profit group that helps keep and improve homes and communities in central Ohio. This library offers more than 4,500 tools for free to individuals and non-profit groups. The Phinney Tool Library was started in 1978 by the Phinney Neighborhood Association in north central Seattle. The Berkeley Tool Library was started in 1979 in Berkeley, California. Many of these libraries received funding from community block grants.

A different type of tool lending library began in 1992 in Atlanta, Georgia. The Atlanta Community ToolBank (now called ToolBank USA) only allows nonprofits and community groups to borrow tools for volunteer and maintenance projects. These tools are not available for individuals to use.

In 2009, the West Seattle Tool Library was started in West Seattle, Washington. It provides tools and resources for individuals and organizations, and it encourages sustainable living in cities. In 2011, Popular Mechanics listed "Building a Local Tool Library" as one of its top ten ways to make a positive change, and it highlighted the West Seattle Tool Library. After this recognition, a project called "Share Starter" was created. It maps tool libraries around the world and gives a free "Tool Library Starter Kit" to communities that want to start their own library. The kit includes guidelines, answers to common questions, and sample documents. Also, the Center for a New American Dream created a webinar that shared advice from several tool libraries on how to begin a library.

Spread

Tool libraries and tool banks are becoming more popular because they have a successful track record. These organizations help people share tools and are part of the sharing economy. They can be found in many local public libraries and makerspaces. Software like MyTurn has been created to help manage tool libraries and other lending systems.

Tool libraries are also present in other countries, such as the United Kingdom, where they exist in cities like Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Liverpool. They are also found in Norway. In some places, housing cooperatives have shared workshops. For example, Kampen borettslag in Oslo is one such cooperative.

Equipment and facilities

If a tool library decides to offer a shared workspace, some basic equipment may include work lights, a workbench with clamps, a woodworking bench, a bicycle stand, a bicycle pump, fire extinguishers, a vacuum cleaner, dustpans, brooms, and a trash can.

The tool inventory is the most important part of a tool library. Tools can be placed on shelves for members to use directly or stored behind a service counter for staff to manage. Each tool must have a number to help organize and track them, which is often done using lending software. The types of tools a library should have depend on the needs of the community.

• Tools that are strong and useful for many tasks, as well as safety equipment, are important.
• Tools that are too expensive for most members to buy individually or are only used once or twice in a home are good choices for community sharing. For example, a flooring installation kit might be used only once by one homeowner but can be used again by many different homeowners through shared access.

Many tool libraries accept donated tools that are in good condition to help build their collection. Before using donated tools, they must be checked and tested to ensure they work properly and are safe to use.