Webinar Series: How to Start a

TOOL LIBRARY in Your Community

August 9, 2012 2:00pm EDT

Our Mission

The Center for a New American Dream helps Americans to reduce and shift their consumption to improve quality of life, protect the environment, and promote social justice.

Program Areas: Redefining the Dream Beyond Consumerism Collaborative Communities

What is a Tool Library?

A library that checks out tools instead of books! •  Low cost or free •  Service for local community

•  It just makes sense – The average power drill is only used 12-13 minutes in its lifetime

•  Access – All residents have access to quality tools for little to no cost

•  Community Building – Creates social hub where neighbors can meet each other

•  Neighborhood Beautification – House values go up as residents fix up their their homes

•  Resilience and Job Skills – People gain practical skills working on their houses

•  Sustainability – Community uses fewer resources and has smaller ecological footprint

Why It’s a Good Idea

A Growing Movement

There are over 40 tool libraries across the U.S.! Is your town next?

Map courtesy of localtools.org

Today’s Speakers

•  Michael Froehlich Co-founder, West Philly Tool Library

•  Jason Hatch Co-founder, North Portland Tool Library

•  Ty Yurgelevic Founder, Temescal Tool Lending Library

•  Pete McElligott Founder, Berkeley Tool Lending Library

West Philly Tool Library

Founders: Michael Froehlich, Benjamin White, Stacey Hendricks, Morgan Riffer

City: Philadelphia, PA

Started: 2008

Structure: Nonprofit

Annual Budget: $20,000

Checkouts/Month: 560

Member Fees: $20-$50/year

Staff: 3 part-time, 10 volunteers

North Portland Tool Library

Founders: Jason Hatch, Laura Dalton, Matt Moritz, Jason Henshaw

City: Portland, OR

Started: 2004

Structure: Nonprofit

Annual Budget: $14,000

Checkouts/Month: 1,200

Member Fees: Free

Staff: 1 part-time, volunteer board

Temescal Tool Lending Library

Founder: Ty Yurgelevic

City: Oakland, CA

Started: 2000

Structure: Governmental (part of public library)

Annual Budget: $250,000

Checkouts/Month: 4,000

Member Fees: Free

Staff: 1 full-time, 4 part-time, many volunteers

Berkeley Tool Lending Library

Founder: Pete McElligott

City: Berkeley, CA

Started: 1979

Structure: Governmental (part of public library)

Annual Budget: $280,000

Checkouts/Month: 4,300

Member Fees: Free

Staff: 3 part-time, 1 intermittent

Let’s Begin!

•  Brief Presentations •  How each tool library started •  Logistical challenges and successes

•  More Resources

•  Questions for Speakers

West Philly Tool Library

Founders: Michael Froehlich, Benjamin White, Stacey Hendricks, Morgan Riffer

City: Philadelphia, PA

Started: 2008

Structure: Nonprofit

Annual Budget: $20,000

Checkouts/Month: 560

Member Fees: $20-$50/year

Staff: 3 part-time, 10 volunteers

Getting Started

Critical Issues •  Free space •  Fiscal sponsor •  Legal liability •  Meetings with community

organizations •  Flyering at farmers

market •  Raising $10,000 with

small grants & founding members

Tackling Logistics Starting Small •  In 2008: 1389 loans •  So far in 2012: 3780 •  Growing by 10%+ a year

Systems Issues •  Good database system

(we use toollibrarian.com & love it.)

•  Membership & late fees •  Organizational members

& group houses •  Plugging in members &

volunteers •  Tool maintenance

Opening the Doors / Ongoing Challenges Community Economic Development •  Targeted outreach •  Classes •  Sliding scale membership

North Portland Tool Library

Founders: Jason Hatch, Laura Dalton, Matt Moritz, Jason Henshaw

City: Portland, OR

Started: 2004

Structure: Nonprofit

Annual Budget: $14,000

Checkouts/Month: 1,200

Member Fees: Free

Staff: 1 part-time, volunteer board

Getting Started

Support •  Recruit team •  Build support - NA’s •  Advocate •  Interview/visit tool libraries Structure •  Governmental v. nonprofit •  Staffing? Location •  Free, central location Funding •  Community Development Block Grant •  Mitigation funds •  Private foundation

Tackling Logistics

Tracking tools and members •  Coding •  Paper v. software •  Page v. no-page

Liability •  Liability waiver

Insurance •  General liability coverage

Staffing •  Volunteers v. staff

Opening the Doors

Outreach •  Local organizations •  Local media •  Neighborhood & school leaflet •  Tool classes Membership •  Portion, then all of NoPo free Unexpected Challenges •  Location, tracking method,

collections, board development, staffing

Sustaining •  Grants, events, direct mail,

fines/fees

Temescal Tool Lending Library

Founder: Ty Yurgelevic

City: Oakland, CA

Started: 2000

Structure: Governmental (part of public library)

Annual Budget: $250,000

Checkouts/Month: 4,000

Member Fees: Free

Staff: 1 full-time, 4 part-time, many volunteers

Getting Started Funding •  Community Development

Block Grant: $81,000 •  Initial grant limited patronage

to District 1 in Oakland. Later, funding was secured to open membership to all of Oakland, Piedmont, and Emeryville

Location •  Available space in the Temescal Public Library

Tools •  Purchased tools from Grainger, Home Depot •  Tool donations

Tackling Logistics

Tracking •  Library software – Dynix

Fees •  No membership fees •  Late fines: $1 to $20 per day

depending on tool

Liability •  Every person from Oakland,

Piedmont or Emeryville who registers signs a waiver and indemnification form

Opening the Doors Outreach •  Media •  Presentations •  Flyers at all branch libraries Membership •  Overwhelming response! Unexpected Challenges •  Maintaining and fixing tools •  Getting returns on delinquent tools •  Maintaining and updating catalog Stability •  Friends of the Tool Library advocate for us •  Current funding sustains us but our goal is to

expand into a bigger more centralized space and to add additional staff.

Berkeley Tool Lending Library

Founder: Pete McElligott

City: Berkeley, CA

Started: 1979

Structure: Governmental (part of public library)

Annual Budget: $280,000

Checkouts/Month: 4,300

Member Fees: Free

Staff: 3 part-time, 1 intermittent

Getting Started Funding •  Federal Community

Development Block Grant •  First year budget: $30,000 •  After 10 years, part of library

proper, received funding from city taxes

Location •  First location – trailer in library parking lot •  Library maintenance helped build and set up

Tools •  First tools mostly purchased from Sears •  Over time, other suppliers •  Better tools last longer

Tackling Logistics Tracking •  4-digit ID number engraved on tools •  Borrowers need library card, photo

ID, proof of residency •  Tracked loans using paper forms,

called delinquent borrowers (Today: use library’s computerized system)

Fees •  Free for low income residents, small fee for others

(Today: free for all Berkeley residents)

Liability •  Waiver and indemnification form (prepared by

City Attorney) •  Over 33 years, no one has sued us!

Opening the Doors

Outreach •  Publicity through library, media,

and fliers Membership •  First borrowers from immediate

neighborhood •  Over time, word of mouth

brought more and more people Unexpected Challenges •  Limitations of tool selection and

patron access •  Fraud and theft •  Bureaucratic and political issues •  Tool maintenance

More Resources New Dream’s Community Action Kit Guide to Sharing: newdream.org/communityactionkit

More Resources

•  Local Tools: localtools.org •  Share Starter: sharestarter.org •  National Tool Library Google Group:

groups.google.com/group/toollibrary

Questions?

Thank You!

Special Thanks •  Our guest speakers: Michael, Jason, Ty, & Pete •  Adam Broner •  Post Carbon Institute •  You!

Next Steps •  Webinar survey – Watch for it! •  Recording available online next week •  Join New Dream’s mailing list •  Start your tool library!

Contact New Dream •  E-mail Wen Lee: wen@newdream.org