Member tours tool lending library with SEG support

Murray Zink receives $250 staff enhancement grant to support his visits to tool lending library and repair cafe in California

Date of Activity: March 9 visited Tool Lending Library in Oakland, CA

Travel Dates: March 7 to 17, 2018

Contacts Prior to Travel:

On January 24 I went to an open house at the K-W Library of Things and met Devon Fernandes, one of the co-founders. Earlier I had exchanged emails with Devon explaining my interests in supporting the startup of the library. Devon provided several questions for me to research and bring back information from the organizers of Oakland’s Tool Lending Library (TLL).

• What are the largest barriers to growing a library of things over time? How can libraries overcome them?
• How did they leverage partnerships to open their library or expand their core services?
• Do you see libraries of things collaborating with each other more? In what ways?

Prior to travelling to California, I contacted Ty Yurgelevic, one of the original staff members when Oakland’s TLL started in 2000. Ty is now retired and continues to volunteer with a group called The Friends of Oakland’s Tool Lending Library. I arranged to meet Ty at the Telegraph Avenue branch, where the TLL is located, on Friday, March 9.

In 2016/2017 there were 2 or 3 local (K-W) repair cafés organized by people involved with the KwartzLab. Currently no further repair cafés have been planned because there is more interest among members to participate in maker fairs. Nonetheless, I contacted two of the co-founders of the Palo Alto Repair Café, Peter Skinner and John Eaton, to see if it would be possible to meet them in early March.

Palo Alto Repair Café Follow up

Both Peter Skinner and John Eaton were not available March 9 when I planned to also visit the Palo Alto Repair Café. March 10 through 16 I travelled to Yosemite, Fresno, Death Valley, Barstow, Bakersfield, Big Sur and Monterey. I did not return to the Bay area until Friday, March 16. Peter was available that Friday but I only returned to San Jose late in the day. I am continuing to correspond with Peter and John to understand how people who want to have their items repaired continue to think of the Palo Alto Repair Café as a viable community resource because only four cafes are planned in 2018 (Feb/May/Aug/Oct). I think that having to wait 2 or 3 months until the next café seems inordinately long. My vision is that repair cafés should be held every 2 to 3 weeks so people can count on getting their not working item working, or conclude it has to be replaced and buy a new one.

Visit to Oakland Tool Lending Library (March 9 for 1.5 hours)

On Friday, March 9 I met Ty Yurgelevic and two other volunteers, Jack Soares and John Eldan, who are all ‘friends’ of Oakland’s TLL. After a tour of the TLL I was able to spend more than an hour discussing a wide range of topics with them. Since my visit I have been in contact with all three to follow up and get answers to questions that came to mind after I returned home.

The public library system in Oakland, California has 5 branches. The Tool Lending Library (TLL) is in the basement of the branch on Telegraph Avenue. Library staff operate the TLL; there is one fulltime librarian and several assistants. The TLL is open Tuesday through Saturday and closed on Sunday and Monday. Tool cleaning, adjustments and minor repairs are handled by the library assistants.

Oakland’ TLL started 18 years ago with 235 tools and 58 tools were borrowed during the first month. Currently they have 5000 tools available and there are 4000 ‘tool lendings’ every month. Tools for home renovations/repairs, landscaping and yard work are available. For tools like paint scrapers, hammers, rakes and shovels there are 10 or more available. Only one of certain types of specialty tools are available. In the case of costly tools like sliding mitre saws, there are only two available. Borrowers are questioned about their knowledge and experience related to using costly or dangerous tools properly and safely. The work associated with tool cleaning, adjustment and repair is never ending.

The volunteer group that Ty Yurgelevic, Jack Soares and John Eldan support is called The Friends of Oakland’s Tool Lending Library. Their volunteer work focuses mostly on obtaining donations to help fund the TLL, and on library housekeeping initiatives to keep the TLL space tidy and keep tools in good condition. When the volunteers receive donations of tools from the public they verify tool condition before adding them to the library. Certain donated tools, like gas-powered chainsaws, that do not fit in the library collection are sold. The money received is used to repair tools or buy tools that are needed. Working closely with the TLL librarian, ‘friends’ volunteers organize Saturday morning tool sales to raise funds and so borrowers can buy surplus tools.

The topics discussed during the visit ranged from borrower safety, to challenges related to keeping tools in good repair, and to knowing what tools to avoid keeping in the library because of never-ending problems. One important takeaway that addresses more than one problem is scheduling recurring “meet the tools” sessions so borrowers become familiar with what tools do and how to safety use them. Borrowers learn the importance of only working with tools good operating condition. Tools such as electric pressure washers are no longer kept by the TLL because borrowers did not understand the concept of duty cycle for power tools. Borrowers would operate a tool with a 25% duty cycle continuously for an hour and have no idea why the electric motor overheated, burned out and stopped working.

Ongoing Follow Up

By email I have been in contact with all parties that I met over the past 3 months when planning the TLL visit that is being supported by a SEG from the UWSA . I have relayed answers to Devon Fernandes to help inform him as he steers the K-W Library of Things through its first year. I have offered to volunteer with this group to clean, adjust and repair tools. Based on the knowledge that I have now gained I can help this local initiative address some of the issues they will encounter. Lastly, I am thankful to the UWSA for the opportunity to figure out how I can best help this group.

Are you pursuing a personal development opportunity for which you would like funding assistance?

As a member of the UWSA you may apply for the Staff Enhancement Grant.

The next application deadline is June 1, 2018