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Libraries of things and tool-sharing: why borrowing is booming

Most drills are used for minutes in their lifetime. Libraries of things let neighbours share tools and gear instead of all buying their own.

2 October 2026 · 7 min read

A cordless power drill

Chetanya Goel · Founder & Editor

Chetanya started Annam Naturals after two years of keeping a household waste diary. Chetanya writes about the boring, repeatable habits that hold up in a real week.

A household drill is often quoted as being used for only a few minutes over its whole life. The same is true of many things we own: ladders, pressure washers, tents, sewing machines, party supplies and specialist kitchen gadgets. A library of things lends these items out, the way a book library lends books.

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Community sharing schemes, repair cafés and swaps have grown rapidly in recent years, and Giving Tuesday on 1 December is a good moment to think about them.

How it works

Members borrow items for a few days, either free or for a small fee or membership. The library maintains the items, checks them on return and repairs them when needed. Some are run by councils and libraries, others by volunteers or community groups.

What gets borrowed

  • Tools: drills, saws, ladders and garden tools
  • Kitchen equipment: large pots, ovens, food processors and dehydrators
  • Event supplies: chairs, tables, plates, speakers and decorations
  • Outdoor gear: tents, sleeping bags and camping stoves
  • Children's items: toys, games and baby equipment

The benefits

Sharing saves money, saves storage space and reduces the number of products manufactured. It also builds community, because borrowing often comes with advice and conversation.

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Starting a sharing scheme where you live

You do not need a formal library to share. In a housing society or neighbourhood:

  • Start a group chat or a shared spreadsheet listing items people are willing to lend
  • Agree simple rules about returning items clean and on time
  • Keep a shared cupboard in the society office for commonly needed items
  • Pool money to buy one good-quality item, such as a drill or pressure washer, for everyone

Event sharing

Many housing societies already share steel plates, utensils and chairs for functions. Expanding that to a society-owned set of reusable plates and glasses can eliminate disposables at events entirely.

The bigger idea

Libraries of things are part of a shift towards access rather than ownership. The question changes from 'what do I need to buy?' to 'how can I get this job done?' Often, the answer is to borrow from a neighbour.

For more of this kind of testing, the zero-waste home hub collects everything we've tried in that area.

Frequently asked

Do I need to buy anything to get started?

No. Every method here begins with what is already in your cupboards. We only recommend a purchase when something has genuinely worn out, and we say what it should cost.

How do you test the things you write about?

Minimum four weeks of ordinary household use, with notes. For anything involving energy or money we use a plug-in meter and record the readings before and after.

Are your recommendations paid for?

Never. Brands cannot buy placement. Some outbound links are affiliate links, which we mark, and they do not change what makes the list.

What if a method doesn't work in my home?

Write to us. A surprising amount of our best material comes from readers explaining why something failed in a flat, a shared house or a very cold winter.

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