Join the REAL sharing economy with a Library of Things
By Kelley Dennings, Center for Biological Diversity, and Tom Llewellyn, Shareable
Our current economic model is unsustainable, demanding endless growth through the constant purchasing of new things. It can feel like we’re trapped in the system whether we like it or not, but there are dozens of opportunities to disrupt business as usual and operate in a more just and sustainable way.
One of those opportunities is to participate in the sharing economy, a peer-to-peer economic model where people share goods and services without exchanging money. We have firsthand experience with this, as we recently collaborated to establish a Library of Things (LoT) on the University of North Florida campus.
An LoT is a shared community resource where useful items can be borrowed just like books that are in circulation for years. This idea is not new — there are roughly 2,000 formally established LoTs worldwide, as well as countless informal ones. Modern LoTs have been in operation since 1978 (the longest-running is the Berkeley Public Library’s Tool Lending Library, which has been in operation since 1979), but informal and commons-based resource sharing has always been an essential part of the human experience.
Generally, there are three types of LoTs:
Fully volunteer-run, with budgets less than $10,000/year, limited inventory, and average memberships of less than 200 people (these are the vast majority of LoTs);
Larger independent LoTs with storefronts, significant annual budgets, and often at least one paid library manager; or
Municipal LoTs that are connected to city libraries, including stand-alone dedicated LoTs or collections within regular libraries.
LoTs reduce the demand to produce new goods that destroy habitat, generate greenhouse gases, create pollution and harm wildlife. As an instrument of the sharing economy, they allow consumers to share in the creation, production, distribution, trade and consumption of goods and services — reducing their environmental impact.
LoTs can consist of any items that will be useful to your community. They often include things like sewing items, medical equipment, electronics, games, kitchenware, tools and even musical instruments.
These libraries don’t just reduce waste and buck the economic norm; they also strengthen community and connection through borrowing. Some LoTs also host classes where people share ideas and skills. They provide access to items some people may not be able to afford and can make homes feel more spacious by removing stuff that’s used infrequently.
While there can be a significant number of things to consider when starting an LoT, including location, members, internal governance, business management, and, of course, the things themselves, it’s best to begin by answering basic questions like:
Why? It’s important to clearly define your reasons for starting an LoT and determine how these reasons will guide future decisions.
Who should be involved in building and sustaining your LoT, and how can you ensure a diverse and well-balanced team?
What activities, services, or programs, if any, will your LoT offer beyond lending items, and how will they support your community’s needs?
When should key milestones such as outreach, inventory collection, and opening to the public, take place in your LoT’s development timeline?
Where is the ideal location for your LoT, considering accessibility, community needs, and potential partnerships?
How will you establish sustainable leadership, secure funding, and navigate challenges to ensure the long-term success of your LoT?
To learn more, visit Shareable’s toolkit, co-lab training page or State of Libraries of Things report and the global Library of Things listserv, subreddit, or monthly meet ups hosted by the Tool Library Alliance. And be on the lookout for a Libraries of Things how-to guide for universities later this year from the Center.
Kelley Dennings is a population and sustainability senior campaigner at the Center for Biological Diversity, where she works to protect wildlife by addressing endless growth, inequitable consumption, and the underlying causes of the extinction crisis.
Tom Llewellyn is the cofounder of the Asheville Tool Library and the executive director of Shareable, where he collaborates with organizers and allies to imagine, resource, network, and scale cooperative projects across the United States and around the world.
Want to learn about more community-oriented reuse projects ready to replicate in your area? Check out The Indisposable Podcast episode #177: Reuse Beyond Policy.
