Is Lake County’s Tool Library the Town’s Original Sustainability Hub?
By: Isabel Lisle, Sustainability Program Manager, C4
Date: January 30, 2025
The tool sharing program is designed to empower Lake County residents to save money and remove barriers to tool equipment use.
Matt Baumgartner, Lake County Public Library Programs Coordinator, sat down with Isabel Lisle, Sustainability Manager at Cloud City Conservation Center (C4), a few weeks ago to talk about the unique Tool Library resources available to community residents. Essentially, the Tool Library is a room full of all sorts of equipment and tools that are free and available for library members to borrow and operate for their own home projects.
Tools are checked out every day; including:
air compressors
table saws
drills
weed wackers
stud finders
extension cords
circular saws
leaf blowers
portable heaters
It’s a program that promotes sharing and borrowing, rather than encouraging residents to purchase tools and equipment they might only use once - embracing sustainability at its core.
C4 helped the Tool Library in its founding stages in 2021, with a mission to “enrich the community by providing Lake County residents the tools to learn to carry out their own home repairs and projects.” The program was created specifically to address the issue of delayed maintenance in Lake County’s housing stock. According to the 2024 Lake County Housing Needs Assessment, poor housing conditions and the need for repairs are major challenges for local residents—26% of residents rated their homes in ‘poor’ or ‘fair’ condition (Housing Needs Assessment, 2024). The report also noted that lower housing costs could enable residents to save money, pay off debt, and make the necessary repairs.
Free tools include air compressors, table saws, drills, weed wackers, stud finders, extension cords, circular saws, leaf blowers, and portable heaters.
The most common repair needs identified by residents are directly addressed by the tools now available at the Tool Library, empowering them to carry out affordable repairs on their own. A grant from the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority, in partnership with Lake County Build A Generation, turned this vision into a reality. Bighorn Ace Hardware, the local hardware store, donated many of the tools needed to launch the tool sharing program. Matt shared that the tool sharing program is designed to empower Lake County residents to save money and remove barriers to tool equipment use.
How do I start using the tool library?
Matt Baumgartner, Lake County Public Library Programs Coordinator, gives C4 a Tool Library orientation at the Lake County Public Library.
In order to use the Tool Library, Matt shares that residents must first sign up for a one on one Tool Orientation online. It’s a 15 minute orientation in which residents learn about the available tools, fill out a liability waiver, and commit to being responsible borrowers. Borrowers must be 18 or older, show proof of residency, and have a library card. Residents can fill out this form to book a time slot for their orientation. Borrowers may check out 10 items per person at one time for 7 days. Matt encourages everyone to be mindful of the equipment, keeping it clean and letting the library staff know if something breaks accidentally.
He mentions some of the cool equipment that doesn’t get much use, such as:
a thermal sensor for conducting energy audits
sanders
safety glasses
gloves
a dolly
project tables
project lights
Sign Up for a Tool Orientation Online
Borrowers must be 18 or older, show proof of residency, and have a library card.
Other Resources: The Library of Things
Additionally, the Library of Things is a similar program run by the Lake County Public Library, which features various items available for checkout by members. Some of the items available include:
Library of Things
Matt holds up a GoPro available for library members to borrow from the Library of Things.
guitars
GoPros
microscopes
telescopes
video game consoles
board games
a bike repair kit
a canning kit
an embroidery kit
a portable DVD player
Any local patron with a library card, regardless of age, can check out these items. This alternative lending program was launched in August 2020, thanks to generous grant funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. In addition to fun and practical items, the Library of Things also offers kits designed to promote healthy living. For example, there are kits for birdwatching (with a guidebook, species identification, and binoculars), hiking (including maps and safety guidelines), light therapy (featuring a lightbox and mental health resources for Seasonal Affective Disorder), and disc golf (with discs and a map of local courses).
The Lake County Public Library is a model for sustainability.
It offers an abundance of special resources for Lake County community members to take advantage of at no cost. Its innovative programs encourage the sharing and reusing of resources, reducing the need for residents to purchase items they only use occasionally, which decreases consumption and waste. Additionally, the library’s focus on promoting local knowledge and skills—such as canning, embroidery, and repair kits—helps reduce reliance on mass-produced goods and supports a culture of DIY and self-sufficiency. Matt shares that he loves learning how to do his own DIY home projects with the tools from the tool library to develop new skills that he can share with other people. These activities, combined with community access to items that would otherwise be expensive or rarely used, contribute to reducing overall consumption and promoting sustainability.
