Kevin Kelly — Cool Tools: what a great idea: “A decade ago some community librarians in California initiated a great idea: why not lend tools as well as books? The idea slowly spread to a couple of dozen other US towns, but the most active and well-stocked tool libraries are still in the Bay Area — one in Berkeley, Oakland and San Francisco. The typical tool lending library offers basic hand tools, and a selection of garden, landscaping and construction tools. The hot items with waiting lists at the San Francisco Tool Lending Library (now in the middle of a move to a new location on Howard Street) are heavy duty power tools.”
June 21st, 2004 at 5:47 pm
Tool (and toy) lending libraries have been around since the second world war in Europe. In fact, commercial tool hire shops have to concentrate on premium/value-add services because of this.