Hi all, In Summer 2005, I moved back to West Philly after living on the West Coast for six years. For the few years that I lived in the San Francisco Bay Area, I belonged to a non-profit tool lending library in Oakland. I would love to open one in West Philly. I've talked this over with a number of friends and have gotten generally positive support. If anyone on the list is interested in helping with this project, could you please email me off-line?
My initial thoughts would be that a library would be housed in a church basement or other space. Community members would pay $20-$40 in annual dues (plus a deposit that would mitigate against loss.) It would be stocked with tools--like yard tools (weed whackers, shovels), hand tools (hammers, levels), power tools (circ saws, drills), extension cords, ladders, drop clothes, maybe even craft tools (silk screening tools, pottery tools). It would target home owners who want to do home repair but do not own their own tools or industrious tenants (like myself.) It would be open on Saturday and one or two evenings during the week. Folks could borrow up to three tools that would be returned the following Saturday. We would need money and tool donations to get it off the ground and then, depending on the cost of space, etc, we'd have pretty low operating costs after that. Maybe a grant or two a year would fill the gap between dues and operating costs. Other tool lending libraries in the country have received help from Home Depot or grants from municipal governments to get things started. I'm especially interested in talking with anyone who might know of a potential location that would house the tool lending library. Thank you very much, Michael Froehlich (cell) 215-779-4166 --------------------------------- It's here! Your new message! Get new email alerts with the free Yahoo! Toolbar.
