Like a packed garage or shed, the Louisville Tool Library is filled with variety.
There’s an assortment of typical handy supplies, like pliers and screwdrivers, as well as outdoor tools like shovels and chainsaws. Safety equipment such as hard hats and goggles are also available.
But there are other, more unexpected items: kitchenware, cameras, tents and kayaks.
Paul Faget is a founding member of the volunteer-run library, which is open Wednesdays from 5–7 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m.–3 p.m. He said there are more than 2,000 items currently available, and almost all of them were donated.
“We really wanted to provide to the community a space where they can get the tools and the materials to work on their homes or learn a new skill or a new hobby without having to dump tens of thousands of dollars,” Faget said.
One of the biggest reasons for opening the space, he said, was to help residents afford to maintain their aging homes, rather than sell them if costs get too high. He pointed to property value changes in Shelby Park, where the library is located, and nearby neighborhoods like Germantown and Smoketown.
“This whole area is very rapidly just getting priced out of itself, and I think that a lot of the local people that have lived here, for sometimes generations, are having trouble keeping up with their houses,” Faget said.
The required membership for the Louisville Tool Library is tied to a recommended $120 annual donation. But if that’s not affordable, volunteers suggest an alternative of 0.1% of a member’s annual income.
Tools and supplies have a seven-day lending period, and late fees aren’t mandatory but library volunteers ask members to give a dollar a day, if they can. Faget said the library, which had almost 300 members as of late June, is built on trust.
“We’re just relying on the kindness of our community, because that’s what built the place to begin with,” he said.
Alexis Simon made her first trip to the library late last month and said she liked the idea of borrowing items to decide if they were a good fit for her.
“Sewing machines are so expensive, and I’m not sure if I’ll be good at it yet. So it’s nice that you can rent one of these out,” Simon said.
Devin Martin is a library member who said he uses tools and supplies to work on his car and home.
“I like the community aspect of it, just being able to share tools and work on different projects,” Martin said.
Julie Foster and Hailey Rissolo live together and recently went to the library for a shovel to work on a backyard project, but said they may return for other items.
“We have lots of crafts and ideas of things we want to make and change around the house, so this is perfect,” Rissolo said.
The Louisville Tool Library also hosts free public workshops on skills like whittling, quilting and mushroom carving.
Faget said its volunteers are hoping to raise more money through fundraising to be able to acquire new tools, offer classes with paid instructors and possibly add a full-time librarian.
