The West Philly Tool Library has become a kind of institution in its neighborhood. For Executive Director Jason Sanders, this was the organization’s goal from the start.
“It started out as a very small organization of a few hundred tools on Woodland Avenue in 2007-2008, but it’s really grown into a larger community organization,” he said recently. “Currently, we have 1,300 active members who come in and borrow things, and we’ve had over 5,000 students take our class program this year. And it’s really just affordable and accessible.”
The library provides tools for rental – items such as lawn mowers, pressure washers, and wheelbarrows. Sanders said another large part of the organization is providing classes.
“We have a pretty robust class program of 50 rotating classes, where people can come and learn how to use the tools before they borrow them, or how to do specific things before they start tearing down stuff at their own houses,” he said. “So we have everything from trade-related things like plumbing, drywall, and electrical, and even some introductory woodworking classes. And we also have skilled craftspeople who teach sewing, mending, and those types of things as well.”
These resources were recently put into jeopardy when the organization’s lease was not renewed. The organization intends to relaunch its tool library on Dec. 1, and fully relaunch classes on Jan. 1, 2026.
But in the meantime, the organization is working to find its future home – and fundraising to keep tools available and accessible.
Importance
Tool library leaders say the space provides a lot of unique benefits for Philadelphians. One, Sanders said, is help with home maintenance – particularly for aging homes.
“There’s a lot of aging infrastructure and older homes here,” he said. “And if you are fortunate enough to be able to purchase a home, there’s usually a lot of repairs and upkeep and maintenance that you have to do. And in some cases, there are very specialized tools or even yard maintenance equipment that not every single person needs to own in order to have access to it and use it.”
He said there can also be safety concerns with homes that require the use of these kinds of tools.
“People have safety-related things with their houses that absolutely need to be fixed,” he said. “Things like their roof or their front porches all rotted away that need to be replaced. There can also be some foundation-related issues with their basement, where water is coming in and different things.”
Home repairs can also be expensive, said West Philly Tool Library teacher John Creighton. He said many of his classes at the tool library address these concerns.
“People can feel really overwhelmed when they get these houses and they want to make changes,” he said. “It’s expensive to hire someone, and they may want to be able to do it themselves. So I just try to address that and give them the confidence they might need to take on that project and give them some hands-on experience.”
Creighton’s offerings range from classes on designing shelves and closets to “date night” woodworking classes.
“There’s the date night charcuterie board and cutting board class, and it has a very specific tool skillset that you can learn from that,” he said. “And then there is something different, where you might learn how to build your own garden bed, and then there’s a planter box class. There’s also a do-your-own end table class.”
Creighton said the organization helps to strengthen surrounding communities and offers a sense of mutual aid.
“The classes that I teach are just trying to impart the knowledge to empower people to be able to take care of themselves and each other,” he said. “Philadelphia has a pretty strong ‘mutual aid’ culture and efforts are being made here in Philadelphia. And the tool library is used by a lot of these organizations as well. There are people coming in, grabbing all these tools and then going to turn a vacant lot into a garden, or renovating their house.”
Sanders explained it is more environmentally conscious to share tools as well.
“There are also a lot of environmental benefits to borrowing tools rather than hundreds of people on every city block owning their own set of tools and just sitting in a basement somewhere,” he said.
Fundraising efforts
Annual memberships for the Philly Tool Library currently start at $20. Sanders explained this price point is a part of the group’s appeal.
“When people sign up, if you join for $20 or you donate up to the ‘maximum’ of $150, you’re getting value even if you just borrow something once,” he said. “Because people can borrow a lawn mower, return it, and then they don’t have to worry about storing it. They don’t have to worry about fixing it if it breaks.”
He explained community support is also what has helped the organization build its tool library over the years.
“95% of our 5,000 tools are actually donated from folks in the local community, and most of the time, from folks that used to do a lot of work and own their own tools,” he said. “And then they wanted to share it with the community. Or, we get donations from folks that just don’t do any work anymore, and want the tools to continue to be used.”
Creighton explains the tool library has grown to include lots of important tools – often ones that people may not have or be able to hold space for in their homes.
“People have access to all of these tools, everything they can possibly need, and there’s just a sliding scale donation to be a member,” he said. “So the tool library is very accessible to people. And being able to afford all of these tools, and having them in your home and taking up space, that’s not as accessible to everybody. Most people don’t have a garage full of a bunch of tools. Tools are really expensive, and it is such an easy thing to share.”
As the group looks for a new home, Sanders said they will host a fundraiser on Oct. 25 to raise money. From 3 to 9 p.m., there will be family-friendly events like pumpkin carving, local food and drink vendors, arts and crafts, a silent auction, and more.
Beyond the finances, he said, there is a lot that goes into moving – including moving supplies, physical help and volunteers to spread the word.
“It’s not just about donating money,” he said. “We also need a lot of materials, and we also need a lot of volunteers spreading the word about our fundraiser and this event and a lot of folks needed for our actual move. So, it’s a fantastic thing for a community organization to have access and to share over 5,000 tools, but now we’re going to be physically moving them and all the stuff that comes along with that. So, it’s not just about donating money, it’s about donating time and other construction materials too.”
Sanders said the landlord who has housed West Philly Tool Library for the last 15 years has been incredibly helpful and gracious. The tool library has been receiving a “great deal” on their rent through the landlord, and Sanders said he understands the landlord’s need to raise rent.
The group is now searching for a new, more affordable location.
“We’re still touring a lot of lease spaces and places for sale, and trying to find something that works and something that can help us stay in the community that we’ve been serving for the last 18 years,” he said.
Details on donating or supporting West Philly Tool Library and its upcoming fundraiser can be found here.
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