Klamath Tool Library
Located at 1221 Main Street, Klamath Falls OR 97601
Klamath Tool Library loans out many types of tools and equipment to members. With over 1,400 tools in stock, the Tool Library assists community members in finding the right tool for the job without the cost of ownership. We have over 100 members and membership is only a suggested donation of $15 per year, or you can get a discounted membership with the Tool Library if you join Sustainable Klamath.
Visit the Tool Library website to view our inventory and learn how to become a member.
History and Benefits of the Tool Library
By Mike Fitzgerald
The Tool Library got its start by virtue of the relationship that several close friends developed using tools they had in common. These friends would frequently borrow tools from each other rather than go buy a tool they would probably only need once for a special project. It occurred to the group that they should compile a list of all the tools the group possessed in common so
that they would avoid purchasing a tool and instead just borrow it! Another advantage was that they could use the list of tools they now had available to them to plan for a project they normally would not have conceived of! They could also pool their money and buy more expensive tools, holding them in common, and expanding the potential for more involved projects.
The relationship worked so well that it became apparent that expanding the “membership” list to the community would empower the community by providing low-cost access to tools. The idea of a “Tool Library” was born.
The Klamath Tool Library provides Upper Klamath Basin residents:
- (Of all income levels) access to tools, empowering our neighbors to build and maintain a sustainable, thriving community
- Access to tools to improve our homes, gardens, and neighborhoods
- Resilient, creative, self-sufficient, and sustainable pathways
We want to help the Klamath Basin be creative, repair, reuse, and make! By putting tools into the hands of everyone who may need them, when they need them, regardless of their ability or desire to own them, we hope to improve the places we live in, work in, and play in.
Many Basin residents struggle to provide food and shelter for their families leaving no funds to purchase tools for home and garden projects. Our Tool Library is an exciting project; it provides everyone with the resources necessary to improve and maintain their properties.
The Klamath Tool Library exists by virtue of donations. People donate tools, money, and labor. There are no paid staff! Volunteers are welcome!