‘Easy and intuitive’: Meet the locals saving money and helping the environment by borrowing from the Library of Things

Ed Freckleton borrowed a drill for a few hours. Photograph: Julia Gregory

It is estimated that many people use DIY tools for just a matter of minutes before storing them away at the back of a cupboard.

For others, the cost of the equipment is enough to put them off ever tackling those jobs.

In the past, Clapton resident Ed Freckleton would have borrowed a drill from his friends, but now they have moved away, he pops down to the Library of Things at the Old Baths in Hackney Wick.

It is one of 10 such kiosks that have opened across London since the first one was launched in Crystal Palace in 2018.

Freckleton estimates that if he had not paid the £8 borrowing fee, he might have spent £140 on hiring equipment elsewhere or paid someone to do the job for him.

“I definitely would not have bought a drill,” he said.

“I just logged on this morning to use it. It’s quite easy to use and it’s quite intuitive to borrow and return things.

“I borrowed the drill to do work on some lights and it was done in a couple of hours.”

The drill is just one of dozens of “things” displayed in lockers.

Robert Harris checking items before they are loaned out. Photograph: Julia Gregory

People pay a joining fee and then a rental charge that varies depending on the item, with a “no questions asked” concessions rate.

The most popular loans include the carpet cleaner and steam cleaner, but people can also borrow a speaker and PA for a party, or a tent for a trip away.

All the kit is insured and inspected weekly by technicians to ensure there’s no damage.

Hackney Wick Thing Tech Robert Harris said there is a guide for each item and people can develop their DIY skills.

As well as saving people money on items they might only need infrequently, this lending culture is part of the circular economy.

This is the increasingly popular idea that “stuff is kept in use for as long as possible, delivering the highest value it can, for as long as it can”, according to ReLondon.

Now over a year old, the Hackney Wick Library of Things has lent more than 600 items to around 470 people, saving them around £15,000 in total.

It opened with support from the London Legacy Development Corporation and Stour Space, and it is thought to have helped bring in an extra 1,170 visitors to the Old Baths.

Neil McDonald, who helps champion the library, said: “It makes much more sense in resources and time to borrow something.”

He added: “If you do not have good quality tools then the job is much harder.”

He said the self-service kiosk gets interest from people visiting the baths and gets them thinking about projects they could get involved in.

The library is thought to have saved borrowers around £15,000 in total. Photograph: Julia Gregory

Kyra Hanson from the Library of Things explained how people have picked up new talents: “We run skill-share workshops and we have seen people from the community. We’ve done DIY workshops and sewing workshops.

“It’s really nice to have in-person events. We had one person who came to two workshops and the next time she came she had made a dress. She was smiling and so confident, she was beaming because she had made the dress.”

She said people are also keen to get involved in workshops and share their know-how with others.

Hackney Council provided space for a Library of Things at the CLR James Library in Dalston, which means people can borrow anything from a steam cleaner to an ice cream maker whilst selecting some books, CDs and DVDs.

It opened in December in partnership with the council and with support from Sustainable Hackney, and has loaned items nearly 600 times to around 750 people.

The team estimates it has saved residents £18,000 and saved 10 tonnes of carbon.

Cllr Mete Coban, the cabinet member for energy and waste, said the venue can help people cut their cost of living “whilst at the same time helping you do your bit to tackle the climate crisis”.

The Library of Things is encouraging Hackney residents to join the #ZeroWasteHackney challenge which starts on 1 September.

This year’s focus is on minimising the amount of non-recyclable waste that ends up in the rubbish.

Hackney Council is asking residents to reduce what they consume, especially single-use items.

Participants can win credits to borrow items from the Library of Things by completing the month-long challenge. They need to register by Wednesday 31 August.

Find out more here.