In early September I dropped by the West Philly Tool Library to return a detail sander I had borrowed for a canoe I’m working on. I can’t remember the last time I used a detail sander before that, and I imagine it will be a while before I need to use one again. The same could be said for the steel tamper I used 10 years ago when we set the flagstones in our backyard, and for innumerable clamps, saws, landscaping implements and power tools I’ve borrowed since.
The Tool Library functions pretty much as you might guess from the name. Members, who pay an annual fee based on their income level, borrow tools for a week at a time.
Rob Roy, who was borrowing a ladder when I dropped off the sander, became a member in 2016 and visits frequently when he is working on a home improvement project. “I built copper kitchen counters and used pretty much all tools from the tool library to do that,” he said.
Michael Froehlich started the library in 2007 after seeing similar tool libraries in San Francisco and Seattle. Ash Jones, who was returning some tools for a friend, joined three years later in 2010. “I’ve renovated my house and other houses with tools from the tool library,” he says.
Executive director Jason Sanders first got involved with the tool library as a volunteer during the pandemic. (Aside from four part-time tool librarians, all positions at the library are volunteer.) Sanders, a mechanical engineer who had long done car and home repair work for friends and family members, started off helping at fundraising events such as tool sales. Soon he was working shifts at the front desk. Within a couple years, he had joined the board.
A lot of people might think someone should own a cordless drill or screw driver, but [borrowing tools] can really change the life of someone who doesn’t.”
— Jason Sanders, West Philly Tool Library executive director
The tool library has always offered classes in home repair to go along with the tools, but Sanders has prioritized increasing the number and scope of offerings. Currently, the library offers more than 50 classes on topics including sewing and bike repair, in addition to home improvement basics such as tiling a backsplash.
“We’re sitting at about 1,300 members,” Sanders says. “Some come in frequently. For other people, they can borrow a carpet cleaner for 20 bucks [the membership fee for the lowest income tier] and it pays for itself.”
Clearly, I am not the only one who finds it to be a convenient way to avoid investing unnecessary money and space on tools I would barely use. Ryley Wilson lives in Roxborough but works in West Philadelphia and drops in on their way home. When I ran into them at the library, they were picking up an electric lawn mower. “For a tool that you would only need once or twice, it would be silly to buy it, and I would never have the space to store it.”
Sanders says the tool library isn’t simply meant to be convenient. Having access to the knowledge and tools to make repairs independently can be especially empowering for low-income members. “A lot of people might think someone should own a cordless drill or screw driver,” Sanders says. “But [borrowing tools] can really change the life of someone who doesn’t.”
At press time, West Philly Tool Library learned that their lease will not be renewed. Visit westphillytools.org to learn about fundraising efforts to help find a new home for the nonprofit.
General Fundraiser Site
https://westphillytools.org/savethetoollibrary/
Donation Page
https://givebutter.com/WPTL
RSVP to Fundraiser on 10/25
https://westphillytools.square.site/product/save-the-tool-library-fundraiser/66H3HTEGYS4Q3S4VEV5T7UK5
The tool library is an excellent resource that was built over many years with many hands from the community. In the past year, Jason Sanders has significantly diverted resources away from this core mission and driven away long term leaders and contributors to this mission. In the beginning of this year, three tradeswomen and one tradesman were driven out of the organization. Our involvement in the tool library pre-dated Jason moving to the city of Philadelphia by years.
We expressed concerns over diverting resources away from the core mission of the tool library, the consolidation of power, significant expansion of operating costs, and safety surrounding class offerings. Our years of institutional and professional expertise were not valued as highly as the ideas and aspirations of Jason and the small group of other amateur men.
The West Philly Tool library is an important community resource. This is precisely why it must have leadership that is transparent, accountable, and reflects the community it serves.