Libraries of Things Directory
https://www.ethicalconsumer.org/home-garden/library-things-directory
#LibrariesOfThings #LibrariesRule #UK #Libraries #SolarPunkSunday #Community #LibraryOfThings
#LibrariesOfThings
Share Shed
"The world’s first mobile library of things."
https://www.shareshed.org.uk/
#LibraryOfThings #SolarPunkSunday #LibrariesOfThings #LibrariesRule #UK #Libraries
"Browse the Things.
Select from our locations to see what's available near you."
https://www.libraryofthings.co.uk/catalogue/browse
#LibraryOfThings #SolarPunkSunday
#LibrariesOfThings #LibrariesRule #UK #Libraries #London
[Video] Some #NJ libraries now offer a ‘#LibraryOfThings’
February 2024
Excerpt: "[W]e're used to checking out a trove of books when we head to the library.
"But visit a local branch and you'll find you can take out so much more.
"Libraries of things are the new trend where card holders can check out a range of goods from small appliances to a power washer.
"A little something for everyone.
Ted Goldberg has the story.
We have a power washer.
Who would have thought you could borrow a power washer from a public library?
"The #HobokenPublicLibrary has books.
"But you probably knew that there were other stuff might surprise you.
"We have everything from an OG Sega Genesis video game to one of our very popular items, electric knife sharpener.
"Their library of things has all sorts of inventory that might come in handy, like a stud finder or a cornhole set."
https://www.pbs.org/video/new-jersey-libraries-offer-more-than-just-books-1709064359/
#SolarPunkSunday #HobokenNJ #LibrariesOfThings #NewJerseyLibraries #LibrariesRule #CircularEconomy #BorrowDontBuy #Degrowth
#Tennessee: #LibraryOfThings at the #NashvillePublicLibrary
"Why buy when you can borrow? The Library of Things features an array of useful items—including activities and games, health and fitness equipment, tools and electronics, food and party items, crafts and hobbies, and musical instruments—that you can borrow for free for up to 3 weeks."
Items include: Guitars, keyboards, ukuleles, and other musical instruments, radon detectors, baking supplies, tool kits, board games, fitness and sports equipment, and craft and hobby items.
FMI: https://library.nashville.org/services/library-things
#LibrariesRule #Libraries #LibrariesOfThings #SharingEconomy #SolarPunkSunday #BorrowDontBuy #Degrowth #CircularEconomy
"Welcome to a new era of borrowing at the #WestlandPublicLibrary—where you can borrow experiences, hobbies, and tools just as easily as you borrow books.
What is the Library of Things?
"The Library of Things allows you to borrow physical objects for use at home or on the go. You now have access to a diverse collection of items that cater to your curiosity and interests. From tools to help your next household project to craft kits that awaken your artistic side, our collection is designed to inspire and enrich your life."
Who can check out Library of Things items?
"Library of Things items can be checked out by Westland residents age 18 and older."
Borrowing limits
"Eligible patrons may borrow a maximum of two items at any given time. Library of Things items have a two week loan period and cannot be renewed."
Items include: Board games, puzzles, sports equipment, outdoor recreation, tech accessories, digital tools, audio equipment, arts and crafts, gardening, ghost hunting, outdoor exploration, cooking and baking equipment, cleaning and organizing equipment, event supplies, hand tools, automotive tools, measurement and precision tools, and more!
FMI:
https://westlandlibrary.org/featured-collections/library-of-things/
#LibrariesRule #Libraries #LibrariesOfThings #SharingEconomy #SolarPunkSunday #BorrowDontBuy #Degrowth #CircularEconomy
#Missouri: #JoplinMO #PublicLibrary Shares Spring Ideas of Books and Things
by: Wendi Douglas
Posted: Mar 10, 2025 / 04:41 PM CDT
"SPRING" LIBRARY RESOURCES - Cleaning/Organizing, Gardening & Donating!
SPRING CLEANING
"With Spring around the corner, Joplin Public Library can help you get your home and garden prepped for the new season!
"Spring is the time to tackle the cleaning and repairing you've put off all winter. Check out a book on decluttering, a complete guide to cleaning the whole house, or handy hints on storage, repairs, and maintenance.
"Need a tool for spring cleaning? Check out the #LibraryOfThings for a professional carpet cleaner, a household tool kit, or a dryer vent cleaning system.
"Just need something to listen to while you clean? Libby and hoopla have great audiobooks you can stream from your devices!
SPRING GARDENING
"If you have a garden you want to get ready for Spring, you'll want to be certain to use Library resources as well!
"The annual plant swap on March 29 is a great place to meet fellow plant lovers and get new plants, cuttings, and seeds!
"Browse the book selection for instructions on vegetable gardening, flower gardening and more. If you're more of a visual learning, stream Great Courses How to Grow Anything on Kanopy using your JPL card!
"Just dipping your toes into gardening? Check out our gardening set from the Library of Things and try before you buy!
DONATIONS ACCEPTED
"Also, if you`re decluttering and wondering where to go with your gently used books, movies, and magazines. Bring them to the Library.
"The Joplin Public Library accepts donations of GENTLY USED books, DVDs, CDs and recent issues of popular magazines. As part of their volunteer duties, Friends of the Joplin Public Library manage the donated items and the sale shelf. Funds raised will help to support the Friends in their mission of enhancing and supporting the Library. They would love to have your items to sell."
For details: Joplin Public Library | www.joplinpubliclibrary.org/
#LibrariesRule #Libraries #LibrariesOfThings #SharingEconomy #SolarPunkSunday #BorrowDontBuy #Degrowth #CircularEconomy #LibraryOfThings
#Florida: Donations wanted for #OrlandoFL and #JacksonvilleFL #LibraryOfThings!
"The #CenterForBiologicalDiversity fights not only to protect wildlife and wild lands in Florida but also to address the underlying causes of the extinction crisis, including the excessive production and consumption of new products.
"That’s why we’re excited to announce that we’re working with #Shareable and other partners to establish Library of Things pilot projects in Orlando and Jacksonville.
"A Library of Things is a shared community resource where useful items can be borrowed just like books that are in circulation for years, reducing the demand to produce new goods that destroy habitat, generate greenhouse gases, create pollution, and harm wildlife.
"Sharing also disrupts the current U.S. economic model that demands endless growth through the constant purchasing of new things. It challenges the traditional consumerist mindset that drives overproduction and leads to items getting thrown away after only a few uses.
"You can support this effort by donating items from the library’s wish lists. Whether it's a bicycle repair kit for someone who bikes for transportation, kitchen items for a new university student, or a generator for emergency preparedness, every item counts. By donating, you’ll help neighbors save money and push back against the culture of consumerism.
Here's how it works
"The Jacksonville Library of Things pilot, located at University of North Florida dormitories, is looking for donations of board games, kitchen items, phone chargers and tools to be used by students living in the dorms, based on a needs assessment conducted with students in partnership with the University.
"The Central Florida Tool Library (serving Orange, Osceola, and Seminole counties) is seeking donations related to disaster preparation and response, as well as home repair and maintenance. These items were identified based on conversations between community members and our partner, #CentralFloridaMutualAid.
"Each wish list notes whether the item can be gently used or refurbished or must be new. (Certain products must be new for the libraries to ensure they meet safety and fire code standards. But purchasing these items once to be shared among the community prevents each future borrower from buying more.)
"Links to secondhand and refurbished sites are included where possible. The wish lists also provide a desired quantity of each item. Once the maximum number of items is claimed, you’ll see the request has been fulfilled. The mailing address to send the products for inclusion in the Library of Things can be found in the wish list."
Original article:
https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/population_and_sustainability/sustainability/library_of_things
#CentralFlorida #ToolLibrary Wishlist:
https://sokindregistry.org/registry/CFLToolLibrary
Jacksonville Library of Things Wishlist:
https://sokindregistry.org/registry/JaxFLLOT
#LibrariesRule #Libraries #LibrariesOfThings #SharingEconomy #SolarPunkSunday #BorrowDontBuy #Degrowth #CircularEconomy #LibraryOfThings
#UK: New #LibraryOfThings offers help in #ToughTimes'
Ben Mellor, 8 March 2025
"A new Library of Things will 'reduce waste' and help people struggling for money, organisers say.
"It will operate from #BeestonLibrary in #Nottinghamshire and open in the coming weeks, although an exact date has not yet been set.
"The service will allow people to borrow #HouseholdItems, rather than books, such as carpet cleaners, sewing machines, and children's party sets.
"Fiona Hartley, an organiser, said: 'These are typically things that might be a bit more expensive, and then you only use them once or twice, and then they sit in your cupboard unused.'
"She said times were tough at the moment and "this is just something that helps people save a bit of money and a bit of space in their homes".
"The project has received funding from the Beeston Civic Society and Broxtowe Borough Council to help with the purchase of items - totalling £1,500.
"This money will be spent on purchasing supplies and items to stock the library.
"Ms Hartley said there was a 'growing movement' behind Libraries of Things nationwide. Similar projects have been set up across the wider #EastMidlands.
"Peter Cribb, the district manager at Inspire, which runs Beeston Library, said he was 'excited at the potential'.
"'It's not something we've done before, you know we do loan out non-book items, but they're on a one-off basis,' he said.
"When the service starts, people will use an app to book an item they wish to use. Library staff will then retrieve the item.
"The maintenance of the items and the app will be operated and paid for by the volunteer groups, Mr Cribb said, and the library's role is to act as storage.
"Karrie Stainer is the chairwoman of the volunteers and said she first had the idea for the Library of Things over one year ago.
"However, she struggled to secure funding for the project until recently.
"'The underlying motivation really comes from #environmental issues, not being wasteful of stuff, not throwing stuff away,' she said."
Source:
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y4pyl70yvo
#LibrariesRule #Libraries #LibrariesOfThings #SharingEconomy #SolarPunkSunday #BorrowDontBuy #Degrowth #CircularEconomy
I'm part of this interesting free webinar in February!
Getting Started with Citizen Science Kits at Your Library
Date(s): February 10, 2025
Time: 2:00 PM - 2:45 PM EST
https://www.nnlm.gov/training/class/getting-started-citizen-science-kits-your-library
#LibraryOfThings #LibrariesOfThings #EnvironmentalHealthLiteracy #CitizenScience #PublicScience #IAQ #PublicLibraries
#RhodeIsland - Help yourself to the ‘#LibraryOfThings’ - Books are just the beginning of what you can borrow at your local #library
By Michelle Mercure, December 20, 2024
"Sara Griffin, youth librarian at #RogersFreeLibrary in #BristolRhodeIsland, said the library is building its own 'library of things,' including items like ghost-hunting kits, metal detectors, electric drills, and leaf blowers. She hopes the collection will continue to grow over time."
[...]
"While many libraries are introducing self-checkout options, #WestWarwickRI is meeting current needs of the community by integrating a #FoodPantry, Barrington is working on a strategic plan for future changes, and Rogers Free Library has ambitions to add a sensory garden. Each library emphasized that community input plays a key role in determining new offerings and shaping their evolving spaces."
Read more:
https://www.eastbayri.com/stories/help-yourself-to-the-library-of-things,127728
Archived version:
https://archive.ph/4E8xG
#LibrariesOfThings #RhodeIslandLibraries #CommunityBuilding #CommunitySpaces #SolarPunkSunday
Introducing the #LibraryOfThings at the #RamseyCountyLibrary in #ShoreviewMinnesota
"The Library of Things is a collection of kitchen items, tools, games, crafts and more. The Library of Things enables residents a chance to try something new without investing in it first and to save you money and storage space for items you may not use very often. The goal is also to save natural resources by not buying more things than we need and borrowing them instead. Libraries worldwide are adding Library of Things to their typical collections of books, magazines, audio and visual materials. Over the years, Ramsey County Library has added unusual items as well: from framed prints and sculptures in the 1970s, to energy meters, bike locks and snowshoes more recently.
"Items may be checked out for three weeks and are requestable, transferable, and renewable. Some items require a liability waiver that must be signed by someone who is at least 18 years old. The item must be checked out on the account of the person who signs the waiver."
Note: A lot of items are currently in use, and the Library will be closed December 24 and 25.
Learn more:
https://www.rclreads.org/library-of-things/
#LibraryOfThings #BorrowDontBuy #LibrariesOfThings #Libraries #SolarPunkSunday
From cookie cutters to air fryers, #LibraryOfThings offers free use for holiday entertaining
BY CHRIS SMITH | Contributing writer Dec 9, 2024
"Tis the season for family get-togethers and joyful feasting. If you are in need of extra kitchen equipment to pull off a big holiday meal, or perhaps a tailgating party, browse through the tabletop appliances and cookware available for loan through the #JeffersonParishLibrary's #BeyondBooks: Library of Things.
"#LoT is a collection of items that expands the idea of traditionally defined library materials. A LoT supports the #SharingEconomy by allowing patrons to share items they may need only occasionally, and contributes to sustainability efforts to reduce waste. The collection also offers the opportunity to 'try before you buy' saving community members in the long run.
"Find what you need — everything from an immersion blender to an air fryer, or a panini press, salad spinner, Bundt pans, a cocktail kit and a cookie-cutter set.
"We have about 60 practical items for the kitchen available for two-week loan at multiple branches of the #library system.
"'#LookBooks' — pages that show items in the Library of Things — can be found at the websites of the #Terrytown, #BelleTerre and #NorthKenner libraries.
#NOLALIbraries #LibrariesOfThings #NOLA #NewOrleans #Louisiana #SolarPunkSunday
#SydneyAustralia's #LibraryOfThings includes #BoardGames, #FoodDehydrators, a #HeatGun, #Fishing equipment, #Puzzles, and much, much more!
https://thesydneylibraryofthings.org.au/
#SolarPunkSunday #SydneyLibrary #Australia #LibrariesOfThings #PublicLibraries #Tools #BorrowDontBuy #Community #AntiCapitalism #AntiConsumerism
What Are #RepairCafes & How They Can Protect The Planet
January 26, 2022
"We live in a throwaway society, one which creates vast amounts of waste while using up valuable resources for mass manufacturing. This can lead many to start reducing their waste on an individual level, in particular moving away from #plastic, but did you know there are also vital community-run initiatives that can make a huge difference to our global waste problem?
"Alongside #LibrariesOfThings, which reduce consumption, there are also repair cafes, which help items last longer. Here’s why they’re vital to a sustainable future.
"What is a Repair Cafe?
"Repair cafes are free meeting places where people come together to fix things. Unofficial community repair groups have likely been around for a long time, but the model as we now know it was created by #MartinePostma. Postma organised the very first repair cafe in Amsterdam in October 2009, which was a resounding success. She then founded the Repair Cafe Foundation in 2011, a non-profit providing professional support to local groups wanting to start repair cafes. There are now over 2000 repair cafes in over 35 countries around the world.
"In a repair cafe you can usually find tools and materials needed to fix items such as electrics, clothes, bikes, furniture, and more. You can also find expert volunteers, with repair skills in different areas, to help you. Most repair cafes also teach essential mending skills such as sewing buttons, fixing zips, and wiring plugs, helping people learn something by watching and working with volunteers.
"Repair cafes focus on making things last, saving people money and helping the environment by reducing consumption, manufacture, and use of raw materials."
Read more:
https://ethicalunicorn.com/2022/01/26/what-are-repair-cafes-how-they-can-protect-the-planet/
#SolarPunkSunday #RightToRepairMovement
#HackerSpace #Repair #CircularEconomy #RightToRepair #ReduceReuseRepair
And here in #Maine...
Borrow more than books at Maine public #libraries
Check out anything from musical instruments to microscopes from Maine’s #LibrariesOfThings
Published Winter 2023
https://www.greenhealthymaine.com/blog/maine-libraries-of-things
#MaineLibraries #PublicLibraries #LibraryOfThings #MuseumPasses #Tools #Games #ScienceKits #Astronomy #NatureKits #Gardening #Camping #MusicalInstruments #Cooking #SolarPunkSunday
Client Info
Server: https://mastodon.social
Version: 2025.04
Repository: https://github.com/cyevgeniy/lmst