Below is the History of the HandsOn Tool Lending Library that CLOSED in December 2011.
A new Tool Lending Library, under new management, has reopened since, please check them out here:
About Us, History, and Development...
Who?
HandsOn New Orleans, a HandsOn Network affiliate and local volunteer resource center, inspires and motivates people to meet critical community needs by encouraging active citizenship through meaningful service. Since our inception in 2006, HandsOn New Orleans has provided local and visiting volunteers with the tools, housing and training necessary to strengthen and rebuild the New Orleans community.
What?
The HandsOn New Orleans Tool Lending Library is one of the first official tool lending libraries in the city of New Orleans. The library consists of nearly 4,000 tools that New Orleans residents, non-profits and volunteers can utilize to repair homes, plant trees, beautify area schools and parks, and more.
How?
All members can borrow any of our tools for one week and any member is allowed to renew his or her tools once by the phone or email. In many cases, we are able to hold tools upon request.
How?
All members can borrow any of our tools for one week and any member is allowed to renew his or her tools once by the phone or email. In many cases, we are able to hold tools upon request.
Where?
The Tool Lending Library is located at 1204 South White Street in Central City.
When?
The Tool Lending Library is open Monday-Thursday 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Friday by appointment, and Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (or by appointment).
How much?
For $10 a month or $100 a year, members may check-out tools for landscaping, painting, construction projects, neighborhood clean-ups and more. Members must present a valid, government issued photo ID and proof of address in the Greater New Orleans area when registering.
Need more information?
For more information regarding the HandsOn New Orleans Tool Lending Library, call (504) 483-7041 extension 105 or e-mail tools@handsonneworleans.org.
What kind of tools?
History
As HandsOn took on more corporate projects as well as thousands of individual volunteers, regular tool donations and tool budgets eventually forced the tool shed to expand into a permanent warehouse location. In March of 2009, the Central City neighborhood welcomed the soft opening of the new HandsOn Tool Lending Library. The official grand opening in June 13th, 2009 welcomed individuals and non-profit groups the opportunity to tackle massive projects without the logistic headache of purchasing and storing tools!
In September 2010 HandsOn expanded its staff to two tool lending library coordinators and also added a dedicated supervisor in an effort to grow the library's resources. Looking to the future, the Tool Lending Library is developing curriculum for basic home repair classes to be taught in-house and in conjunction with other organizations off-site. The goal is to have the Tool Lending Library not just be a place to get tools, but to be a resource to the community offering opportunities to learn more about the tools in the collection and to take some of the fear out of home repair.
The HandsOn New Orleans Tool Lending Library joins a short list of official lending libraries around the world. Even more unique is that our service is available to individuals at the same cost as large organizations. Tool libraries are constantly improving and adapting to membership demand. We hope to continue improving our service to the Greater New Orleans Community as well as help progress the development of tool libraries everywhere.
Development
January 2009
~) 5 Members, Individual and Non-Profit
~) ? in Cost Savings to the Community
February 2009
~) No Data Available
March 2009
~) 12 Members, Individual and Non-Profit
~) $7,501 in Cost Savings to the Community
April 2009
~) 3 Members, Individual and Non-Profit
~) $2,560 in Cost Savings to the Community
May 2009
~) 10 Members, Individual and Non-Profit
~) $3,378 in Cost Savings to the Community
June 2009
~) 13 Members, Individual and Non-Profit
~) ? in Cost Savings to the Community
July 2009
~) 21 Members, Individual and Non-Profit
~) $9,241 in Cost Savings to the Community
August 2009-December 2009
~) No Data Available
January 2010
~) 39 Members, Individual and Non-Profit
~) $12,715.94 in Cost Savings to the Community
February 2010
~) 41 Members, Individual and Non-Profit
~) $5,721.69 in Cost Savings to the Community
March 2010
~) 53 Members, Individual and Non-Profit
~) $19,292.20 in Cost Savings to the Community
April 2010
~) 64 Members, Individual and Non-Profit
~) $21,796.04 in Cost Savings to the Community
May 2010
~) 68 Members, Individual and Non-Profit
~) $22,404.39 in Cost Savings to the Community
~) 602 Total Tools Lent
June 2010
~) 87 Members, Individual and Non-Profit (HandsOn also expanded it's VL program)
~) $ 27,819.87 in Cost Savings to the Community
~) 801 Total Tools Lent
July 2010
~) 89 Members, Individual and Non-Profit
~) $ 48,103.06 in Cost Savings to the Community
~) 1637 Total Tools Lent
August 2010
~) 89 Active Members
~) $41,302.64 in Cost Savings to the Community
~) 1263 Total Tools Lent
September 2010
~) 197 Members, Individual and Non-Profit
~) 81 Active Members
~) $ 30,094.17 in Cost Savings to the Community
~) 857 Total Tools Lent
October 2010
~) 219 Members, Individual and Non-Profit
~) 100 Active Members
~) 100 Active Members
~) $ 52,702.67 in Cost Savings to the Community
~) 2002 Total Tools Lent
November 2010
~) 237 Members, Individual and Non-Profit
~) 102 Active Members
~) 102 Active Members
~) $ 41,017.00 in Cost Savings to the Community
~) 1641 Total Tools Lent
December 2010
~) 249 Members, Individual and Non-Profit
~) 97 Active Members
~) 97 Active Members
~) $ 32,278.18 in Cost Savings to the Community
~) 793 Total Tools Lent
January 2011
~) 259 Members, Individual and Non-Profit
~) 91 Active Members
~) $41,538.18 in Cost Savings to the Community
~) 1785 Total Tools Lent
January 2011
~) 259 Members, Individual and Non-Profit
~) 91 Active Members
~) $41,538.18 in Cost Savings to the Community
~) 1785 Total Tools Lent
February 2011
~) 275 Members, Individual and Non-Profit
~) 95 Active Members
~) $37,140.22 in Cost Savings to the Community
~) 1309 Total Tools Lent
March 2011
~) 288 Members, Individual and Non-Profit
~) 96 Active Members
~) $36,655.17 in Cost Savings to the Community
~) 1304 Total Tools Lent
April 2011
~) 317 Members, Individual and Non-Profit
~) 126 Active Members
~) $45,911.89 in Cost Savings to the Community
~) 1544 Total Tools Lent
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Other Tool Libraries
The HandsOn Tool Lending Library isn't the only library to exist. Many other cities in the US and around the world have their own tool libraries, all with little differences and similarities. If you are interested in finding one in your area, search for "tool library" or "tool bank" in your web browser.
If there aren't any around your area and you would like to start one, join the Tool Library Group Page to get some pointers and ask for some help. The following are some of the more established tool libraries/banks that may interest you:
If there aren't any around your area and you would like to start one, join the Tool Library Group Page to get some pointers and ask for some help. The following are some of the more established tool libraries/banks that may interest you:
- Missoula Urban Demonstration Project- Missoula, MT
- Berkeley Tool Lending Library- Berkeley, CA
- Rebuilding Together-Central Ohio- Columbus, OH
- Temescal Tool Lending Library -Oakland, CA
- West Philly Tool Lending Library -Philadelphia, PA
For a more complete list check out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tool-lending_libraries
