Library Of Things
A Library Of Things is a community resource to share lesser used items. This step is close to my heart as I am part of the team to set up a local Library of Things, Bollington Borrowers. We have such a range of items in our library from camping equipment, kitchen gadgets and children’s items to tools.
A Library of Things (LOT) reduces the need for everyone in a community to own the same items and find space store them. By having a central collection point, it cuts down on costs for the individual, reduces the impact on resources making the products and eliminates waste where an item is only used a couple of times.
A LOT is usually a very cost-effective way of borrowing the items, for example our library has a small annual membership fee and a Pay As You Feel lending charge. Most of our inventory has been donated by members of the local community as many people downsize, upgrade or realise they perhaps don’t need a certain item tucked away at the back of the cupboard.
An often quoted fact is a drill is used on average for 13 minutes through its lifetime and yet most households own one. Think about all the tools and gadgets you have that you could share with your neighbours. Just this week I donated a soap making kit that was being stored for the odd occasion I decide to make soap - next time I can just book it out from the library and in the mean time it can be being useful rather than taking up storage space.
Can you find and support a local Library of Things?
Feel free to have a look at Bollington Borrowers to see what we do and the type of item we lend at bollingtonborrowers@gmail.co.uk