News / Library of Things
Crowdfunder launched to bring Library of Things to north Bristol
The novel library initiative which loans items – “from everyday essentials to specialist tools” – out to households hopes to establish a new home in north Bristol.
Share Bristol, who developed the Library of Things concept which has gone from strength to strength since opening its first space in Kingswood in 2021, has secured promising premises in Frenchay but needs to fundraise to get the library up and running.
They ran a crowdfunding scheme for their Bedminster library which opened on East Street in June 2024.
Now they are hoping for similar success in north Bristol and Aviva has agreed to match every donation pound for pound.
Over 600 households are now members of the Library of Things, a number that has more than doubled in the last four months.
The two current libraries house more than 1,500 items, including heavy duty gardening and DIY tools, camping equipment and household items like carpet cleaners.
Borrowing rates have reached new highs recently with 422 items checked out in July alone, including tents, pressure washers and gazebos.
Joe Sims officially opened Bedminster’s Library of Things on East Street earlier this summer – photo: Titch Photographic
Share Bristol volunteers work to sort, clean and test donated items, adding around 100 new Things to the library catalogues each month.
Share Bristol has raised £800 of its £3,000 target, with a deadline of October 8. Residents that donate to the crowdfunder can choose a Library of Things membership – which includes all Share Bristol sites – as a reward.
Find out more and donate at www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/bring-a-library-of-things-to-frenchay
Main photo: Share Bristol
Read next:
Our newsletters emailed directly to you
