Library of Things
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Library of Things

A Library of Things (or LoT) is a community hub designed to share all kinds of stuff. LoTs follow the traditional mechanics of a library while pushing what can be borrowed to a new edge: tools, instruments, camping gear, toys, kitchen gadgets, and more! They build community while providing a low-cost, environmentally friendly way to meet our material needs.

There are roughly 2,000 formally established LoTs worldwide, as well as countless informal ones. Modern LoTs have been in operation since 1978, but informal resource sharing has always been an essential part of the human experience. Many of the largest LoTs in the US started to lend tools, but they can contain whatever items the community of members need that can be shared safely and effectively.

Shareable has supported the development of several LoTs over the past decade. Projects have included an official advisory role to the former mayor of Seoul, South Korea as they developed a pilot program with 32 lending libraries in apartment buildings, inspiration and an advisory role on the creation of La BOM, a three-story community center and sharing hub in Montreuil, France, and the incubation of the US Tool Library Alliance.

In 2022, we began a multi-year international research project into the current state of LoTs. Following the public release of our findings, we hosted a year-long Library of Things Co-Lab and Fellowship and published a free, comprehensive Library of Things Toolkit.

We believe every community can and should have access to a Library of Things by 2050.

We’re currently looking for partners to support the development of LoTs on university campuses and in new and existing housing developments.

Contact Shareable Executive Director and Asheville Tool Library Co-founder, Tom Llewellyn, for more information about these opportunities: tom@shareable.net.

The Library of Things Toolkit

This comprehensive guide is designed to help people like you plan, start, and grow a Library of Things in your community. Each of the 12 sections addresses a critical aspect of the process.

The Library of Things Co-Lab

The Library of Things Co-Lab convenes those who are new to LoTs and seasoned practitioners alike for training, resources, and support to establish and grow community resource-sharing spaces in their communities.

Libraries of Things Report (2024)

This 2024 benchmark report is a helpful guide whether you are part of an established LoT looking to understand how you measure up to the larger field or if you are just getting started and are learning what it takes to open a new LoT in your community!

Current Projects

Connect Highstar LoT flyer Connect Highstar Apartments With support from Purpose Built Communities, Shareable began working with the Houston, Texas-based Connect Communities in 2023 to incorporate a Library of Things into the new Connect Highstar Apartments. Support included monthly 1-on-1 coaching, peer network, comprehensive training, access to library management software, templates, and other resources. In the Spring of 2025, Connect Communities is opening the Connect Highstar LoT, which is accessible to both residents of the development and those living in the surrounding community, demonstrating their commitment to providing tangible benefits to the local community. Residents are currently playing a key role in deciding which items to include. In addition to the primary location, Connect Communities has also opened a micro-LoT in the St. Luke's Garden Youth Center, with items selected by program participants.

UNF LoT Banner University of North Florida Shareable Partnered with The Center for Biological Diversity, UNF students, and campus Housing and Residence Life to develop several mini Libraries of Things housed within the university dorms. These LoTs provide free resources to students who may otherwise not have access to them while living on campus.
Tool Library Alliance brand mark and tool storage Tool Library Alliance The Tool Library Alliance (TLA) unites tool libraries across the United States to foster community resilience, increase sustainability, and build a culture of generosity through the sharing of tools, skills, and knowledge. Shareable is currently supporting the development of the TLA as its fiscal sponsor.
Circular Hawaii Opening Day Share Circle Maui Inspired by the Hawaiian Ahupua’a system, the neighborhood Na Mea Manuahi (free things) stands aim to foster community connections, sustainability, and mutual support. The Ahupua’a was a traditional Hawaiian land division system that encouraged resource sharing and cooperation between communities. Share Circle is bringing the spirit of the ahupua’a to 12 of their moku’s (districts) across the island of Maui. With support from Shareable, they are also developing three Libraries of Things in and around communities that were decimated by the 2023 fires.
Mutual Aid Eastie Library Mutual Aid Eastie Mutual Aid Eastie’s Little Free Pantry and Library stand as a beacon of collective care and resource-sharing. Their community-driven space offers nonperishable food items and a diverse collection of books, inviting neighbors to take what they need and contribute what they can. All items are donated by community members, which is communicated through WhatsApp. Shareable is supporting their expansion to multiple locations across East Boston.
Central Florida Mutual Aid Central Florida Mutual Aid Central Florida Mutual Aid (CFLMA) is a collective of community members practicing mutual aid in Orange, Osceola, and Seminole counties. The CFLMA library of things was initially created to support community-led disaster response and recovery efforts. Shareable is supporting its expansion to serve their communities year-round.

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