Toronto Tool Library
The Toronto Tool Library (TTL) offers an interesting example of how a business can encourage people to share resources instead of purchasing items they may only use occasionally. Established in 2012, the nonprofit gives members access to a large collection of tools through a membership system. Founded in 2012, the nonprofit was created around the idea that people do not always need to purchase and permanently own the products they use, instead resources can be shared within a community. Members pay for access tools and can attend workshops that are led by staff members.
One of the most important ideas from TTL is that the success of a sharing system depends on keeping resources actively circulating. When items remain with one person for too long, fewer people are able to access them, while the organization may need additional inventory, storage space, maintenance, and staff time.
The biggest danger to a tool library is stagnation. Tools sitting on shelves at the library, or sitting unused in a member’s garage, are an indication of real problems. Like stagnant pools of water, they are a sign that the flow is interrupted.
Sustainable sharing systems require more than simply making products available. They also need thoughtful systems for access, maintenance, storage, circulation, and accountability.
This research can me in my ODNR project by exploring systems that allow resources to be shared among visitors and communities. TTL also shows the importance of understanding how people actually interact with a system before determining how it should operate. looking at areas such as patterns, demand, maintenance needs, and seasonal changes, etc all influence whether a shared-resource model is successful. Instead of having people constantly buy things they might not use on a day to day basis us designers can create systems that encourage people to share, reuse, and circulate resources.
References
Toronto Tool Library. Centre for Social Innovation. (2020, September 15). https://socialinnovation.org/product-service/toronto-tool-library/
