Residents and DIY enthusiasts attended the official opening of the Library of Things, a place where users can rent useful household items for a small fee, in Ealing Broadway shopping centre.
At the opening on Saturday 10 August, visitors were shown by the Library of Things team how to use the service and what items they can borrow.
It works the same way as a normal library where users borrow an item and then bring it back, but in this case, items are borrowed for a small charge, starting from as little as £1.50 per day. You can borrow more than one item at a time.
There are more than 30 items available to borrow from the library including electric drills, carpet washers, a tent, and an ice cream maker.
The items are stored in purpose-built lockers and renters are given a code to collect their item.
Wider circular economy
The Library of Things is funded by Ealing Council as part of its commitment to tackling the climate emergency.
By allowing users to rent items instead of buying them, it reduces the risk of those items being wasted and never used again.
The Library of Things is part of the council’s wider circular economy programme where materials and products are reused in a sustainable or environmentally friendly way, rather than being wasted.
Net zero borough by 2030
Ealing Council leader, Peter Mason said: “Tackling the climate emergency is a key priority for the council and we are continuously working to implement innovative and sustainable ways to reduce negative impacts on the environment and shrink our carbon footprint.
“Our ambition is to become a net zero borough by 2030, and we can only do this with the support of our community. By introducing the Library of Things and other schemes we hope to inspire people to make small changes in their lifestyles that will make a huge difference to the environment.”
Councillor Paul Driscoll, the council’s cabinet member for climate action, attended the opening event. He said: “We are delighted to offer residents an easy way to do their bit to tackle the climate crisis.
“The Library of Things allows residents to support us in the fight to save our planet, by reducing the amount of waste they produce. Residents who are still feeling the impact of the cost of living crisis, now have an economical way to use products or equipment that they cannot afford to buy.”
Create an account now to start reserving items on the Library of Things website.
