COMMUNITY

RESOURCE

SHARING

TODAY’S AGENDA

10:00 – 10:10 Participants sign in and enjoy a snack

10:10 – 10:15 Welcome and introductions

10:15 – 11:00 Speaker presentations and Q&A

11:00 – 11:10 Breakout activity explanation and set-up

11:10 – 11:35 Breakout activity

11:35 – 11:55 Team project presentations

11:55 – 12:00 Thank you!

12:00 – 12:30 Mingling

Steve Couche

President & Founder

Something All Communities and Neighborhoods should aspire to

The First Tool Library was formed in Columbus, Ohio in 1976. There are now over 40 tool libraries around the U.S.

Our first tool library in Portland, Oregon was formed in North Portland in 2004, in 2008 the NE Tool Library was formed

And in May of 2010 the SE Portland Tool Library opened its doors. And this last summer a tool library opened in Lents.

Today there are four more Tool Lending Libraries in various stages of planning in the Portland Metropolitan area.

Entrance to the SE Portland Tool Library So, a little bit about the SE

PortlandTool Library (SEPTL).

Today there are libraries being planned in Vancouver, WA; the Multnomah/Hillsdale area of SW Portland; Milwaukie, OR; and in Beaverton, OR.

The North, Northeast, and Southeast Tool Libraries are committed to helping other tool lending libraries get started in and around Portland.

First we lend out tools – in Portland now membership in a Tool Library is free – some of us are reassessing that. Of course before checking out a tool, you need to become a member of the tool library.

People can donate unwanted tools (all of the tool libraries in Portland are affiliated with a non-profit so donations are tax deductable).

We put on workshops. People volunteer and get to know their neighbors

and what is happening in their neighborhoods. We lend tools to groups, whose projects enhance

neighborhoods and the city.

At the SE Portland Tool Library a rigid

training program is in place to prepare young people to use the Library.

Libraries are really quite radical – in the socialistic tradition. You have a group of tools, you become a member, and you get to use the tool.

How wonderful life would be if we all shared – any ideas on what things might be suitable for group sharing? I think we will learn of a few other items from my fellow panelists, but there are a bunch more. We could start a revolution – all at the neighborhood level!

The Adage, begin planning and they will come, seems to hold true for Tool Library’s. So here are some tools:

Get the word out. Contact a local neighborhood media outlets/newspapers and let them know when and where you are meeting. At the meeting divy up assignments.

Key items to success are FINDING A LOCATION. Centrally located helps. START A WEBSITE. Share info with other existing Tool Libraries. There is also a national tool library google group.

Know the things to look for: how big a library do you think you will need? Know that tools will come faster than you expect. Best to start out bigger than you think you will need. The NEPTL is at 750+ square feet. I just learned Lents has found a 1700 sq ft of space. We at the SEPTL are hoping to move into a 1200 square foot space at St. David’s Episcopal Church (currently our space is about 450 sq ft.

Develop partnerships – both the NEPTL and the SEPTL worked with the ReBuilding Center in North Portland to get shelving materials, Free Geek for computer(s) and printers.

Review your space – what is needed to make it run efficiently?

Develop a website, a logo can help you with branding Can you get a fiscal sponsor to help you gain non-

profit status and help you with liability insurance. An Open House can get you donated tools and

introduce you to the community. Are there any grants available that might help you get

off the ground – publicity, outreach, printing, brochure making?

We know we need more space!

We now have almost 2000 members and about 1500 tools and growing.

We have put on ten well attended workshops.

We are well recognized in the community and everyone points to us as a success.

The thank you comments we get every day we are open for business.

We Get more tools than we have room for in our space.

Clearly more space is need at this Tool Library

We are known in the Neighborhood/Community

Businesses are willing to help us out because they know that customers that use the tool library are going to visit their business

We generate about $400/month in fines and donations

Tools that break down and need repair

People not feeling a sense of ownership in the tool they are borrowing and sometimes abusing it

Getting a regular volunteer rotation allowing us to not have to always be searching for volunteers to keep the SEPTL open.

Tools not being returned on time (or just not being returned).

There is lots I did not cover due to time, so feel free to ask any questions you might have.

And that is what a Tool Library inspires - being an agent of change in your community/neighborhood.

If questions do pop up feel free to send me a question via our website, www.septl.org.

- Thursday, October 25th – Author Ellen Hodgson Brown, who wrote The Web of Debt, will be speaking from 7:00 to 8:30 pm, Eliot Chapel at the First Unitarian Church, SW Salmon and12th.

On Friday, October 26th, The award winning documentary film “Heist: Who Stole the American Dream” will be playing at the First Unitarian Church at 7:00pm.

Kitchen Share

Southeast

Robin Koch

Co-Founder

A kitchen tool library

represents:

Sustainability

Self-sufficiency

Affordable nutrition

Sharing skills

Preserving traditions

Building community

Getting started.

Tools and strategies.

Challenges and lessons.

Starting small.

Looking forward.

Breakout Activity

• As a team you will design a resource

sharing project for the scenario you will be

provided with.

• At the end of activity, each team will

present their project to the group.

– We have provided you with butcher

paper and pens, so feel free to draw a

visual representation of your project!

• Have Fun & Dream Big!

Questions To Consider…

• Who will be doing the sharing?

– What are their needs?

• How will the project be funded?

– Will there be any fees to be a member or use the

resource? If so, will it be sliding scale?

• Will the project utilize any partnerships?

• Will physical space be needed?

• How will people find out about the project?

• How will you incentive proper care &/or return of the

resource?

Thank You!

To Our Amazing Speakers:

• Steve Couche

• Robin Koch

• Dre Davey

For The Generous Food Donation Made By:

• GEM Bakery

• New Seasons Market

• Stumptown Coffee Roasters

And Most Of All To All Of YOU For Spending Your Saturday

Morning With Us!