Instead of books, two unique Yorkshire libraries lend items - from power tools to party supplies - that people need, but don't want to buy. Tony Greenway browses around their eco-friendly, money-saving shelves
Jed Aitchison is reeling off a list of 'things' that he wants to get his hands on.
'Well, we're always looking for fairy lights because they're good for parties,' he says. “And cooler boxes, too, which are good for parties. Then we'd like disco lights, gazebos, retro game consoles... and we want pizza paddles — and other pizza accessories — for pizza nights. And although we have projectors they're not very good, so we really want a modern projector.'
Then Jed gets really niche. 'Oh,' he says. 'We're also looking for a belt sander. And, yes, fondue sets! And a SodaStream. They're fun.'
To be clear, all these eclectic items aren't for Jed's personal use. They're actually to go into the Library of Things, a brilliantly innovative sharing economy initiative that opened in October of last year in the Centenary Room at the Headingley Methodist Church, in Leeds.
Instead of books, this library lends everything from hand tools and powertools, to sewing machines, lawn mowers, carpet cleaners, ladders, party supplies, camping equipment and air mattresses — anything that people use infrequently (say once a month or longer) but would otherwise have to buy new and store at home.
'You don't come to us to borrow a TV or a microwave because these are items that everyone uses every day,' says Jed, who is the Library's Project Manager. 'But if someone fancies a film night they can borrow our popcorn-maker, projector and screen.'
Many people who use the Library of Things are new home-owners who need certain tools for specific DIY jobs, but understandably don't want to fork out cash on new appliances which they might only use once or twice. 'Our most popular items are wallpaper steamers, pressure washers, power drills and power tools,' says Jed. 'When weather picks up we're getting requests for more and more gardening equipment.'
It's not just practical objects that people want: the Library's disco ball is also in demand.
The Library of Things is run by a core team of Jed, Sarah Longworth, Mark Stainton and Lee Ingham, and was set up with the invaluable help of an IT whizz called John Barlow and approximately 30 volunteers and is open every Friday and Saturday. On its shelves are more than 700 donated and safety-checked items that its growing membership of 600 or more can borrow on a pay-as-you-feel basis (the rule of thumb is 10% of the price of the item). Once you have created your free membership either on online or in person, you can browse, borrow things for one week at a time, or make reservations to borrow things in the future.
'For example, there's a family who want to try camping to see if they like it, and have reserved the items they'll need from us,' says Jed. 'If they had to buy the equipment, it would cost them around £500 — but by borrowing it they'll spend a fraction of that amount. It's a perfect use case for what a library can do. It gives people access to objects they didn't have before, makes it easier for them to enjoy nature, and it's a solution to the cost of living crisis and the environmental crisis.'
Indeed, in its first ten weeks, Jed estimates that the Library of Things saved four tonnes of CO2 and saved its members nearly £4,000.
The Library of Things isn't a new idea. In fact, there are similar venues in other parts of the country, including London, Bath, Bristol and Oxford. But there are - as far as we know at the time of writing - just two examples in Yorkshire. Apart from Headingley's Library of Things, there's the Library of Stuff in Hull, founded and run by Alan Dalgairns every Tuesday and Wednesday, from 10am – 7pm (it's open late to catch people on their way home from work so they don't have to make additional carbon-hungry journeys).
Alan's library - a first for the county - launched in March 2020. 'My dad never used to chuck anything away,' he laughs. 'Everything was always repaired and I grew up with that ethos. In the early 2000s I started following similar libraries that were springing up in the US. I always thought it would be great to have one in Hull, so I did some market research, worked out what things people wanted to borrow, and created a community online.'
Approximately 1000 people signed up to Hull's Library of Stuff, which has around 400 active members borrowing 80 or so items a month. Its most popular objects include a carpet cleaner, a hedge trimmer, a cement mixer, a film and slide scanner and a chainsaw. 'The chainsaw is one our our high-risk items,' says Alan. 'We felt we needed to do more than simply give someone the instructions when they come to pick it up, so we spend 15 minutes with them talking about chainsaw safety. In that respect we're offering them better protection than if they bought the same item from a shop.'
Items on Alan's wish-list include a 3D scanner and a thermal imaging camera 'because a lot of people are looking to reduce their energy consumption, and want to thermal scan their house to see where the heat is leaking out.'
For the first two years, Alan ran the Library of Stuff from his own garage, but recently moved to a new location on Greenwood Avenue in Hull. He's now received funding from a Social Enterprise Development Fund, provided by Access - The Foundation for Social Investment, and is looking 'to take things to the next level.' Which makes particular sense in the current cost of living crisis.
The Libraries of Things and Stuff are always open to donations and volunteers, and get remarkable feedback from the people who use them. Now other similar venues could be appearing in Yorkshire very soon. 'Most of our borrowers tend to be people who don't want to store stuff, don't want to buy stuff, and don't want to get into debt,' says Alan. 'Every person who visits says: 'This is an amazing idea! Why hasn't anyone ever done it before?''
Library of Things, Leeds: buynowtls6.com
Library of Stuff, Hull: libraryofstuff.co.uk
