A group of dedicated volunteers are preparing to open the ACT’s first tool and equipment library this Spring. Recently securing a suitable venue in the Inner North after a long search, the Community Toolbox Canberra hopes to open its doors in September with the support of local sustainability organisation, SEE-Change. For the equivalent of buying one tool a year, members will be able to borrow a range of tools and equipment for DIY, craft, gardening and home projects and recreational activities as the library collection grows.

Equipment libraries are popping up in communities all around the globe. Kathy Ehmann, one of the original instigators of the Canberra project, said yesterday, “I have wanted to bring the equipment library concept to the ACT for several years and I am very excited to see many months of planning now coming to fruition.

“Tool libraries bring a range of benefits to the community including reducing consumption and waste, making quality equipment accessible to all, sharing knowledge and skills, promoting creativity, improving mental health and fostering community. The Toolbox will be a fabulous resource for the people of Canberra”, she said.

Today at 6 pm the Community Toolbox Canberra is launching a crowdfunding campaign to raise the initial funds needed to launch. The Community Toolbox is offering Canberrans the opportunity to become founding members in advance of launch day or to make a tax-deductible donation. Full details can be found at startsomegood.com/community-toolbox-canberra.

About Community Toolbox Canberra: Community Toolbox Canberra is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit community enterprise. Our mission is to make it possible for everyone to have the means to create, have fun, try a new hobby and make their home more liveable and, in doing so, reduce waste and pressure on the Earth’s resources.