It can be easy to focus on what is frayed, fractured, and even broken right now. The good news is, with the right mindset and the right tools, many broken things can be fixed.

Whether we are talking about a broken toaster or a broken system, repair is a radical act of investment and care.

Here at the Tool Library, repair is woven into all we do. We offer public home repair classes, loan out 3,000+ tools for any repair or project neighbors can dream of, and organize free Fix-It Fairs (more info here).

As we close out our twelfth year building a culture of sharing and repairing together, we need your help to finish strong!

We are raising $35,000 to grow our team, strengthen our inventory, and keep up with an increased demand from our members.

In the last 3 years, our membership has more than doubled to over 2,500 (and it just keeps growing!)! Meanwhile, our staffing has stayed the same.

With your support, we will grow our team to meet this moment. For the first time ever, we have plans to bring on a paid Lead Librarian. This position will increase inventory organization, speed up the tool repair process, and provide more support for our volunteer librarians. We also plan to bring on a Shop Technician to upkeep our shops, support classes, and build out new infrastructure.

We’ve maxed out our current storage space and need to create new solutions. Your donation will allow us to invest in the people power needed to build out our inventory and keep everything running smoothly.

With unpredictability in the nonprofit world, we need your continued support to keep funds flexible and responsive to community needs.

Help us keep tools accessible, skills alive, and care flowing by making a donation of any amount today.

Below are some examples of the small and big purchases needed to sustain this necessary community resource. As a small organization, your donation goes a long way.

Here's what we can do with your donation:

Replacement filter for a shop vac: $20
New bandsaw blade: $50
Shop Safety scholarship: $60
Print flyers for our next Fix-It Fair: $100
A month’s worth of inventory tool repair parts: $125
New cordless drill and battery set for the library: $180
Restock Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for Open Shop: $200
New hammer drills or battery-powered nailers: $330
Provide dinner from a local restaurant for 30 librarians at a volunteer meeting: $350
Stipends for shop monitors and skill sharers for one Make Space: $400
Provide ten Scholarship seats in our home repair classes: $850

...And a bit more about us:

SNTL 2026: Repairing is Caring

By Station North Tool Library

SNTL 2026: Repairing is Caring

Build A Culture of Repair With Us

Team Members