Open to library patrons, the new tool-lending program offers more than 45 different pieces of equipment for painting, yardwork, home repair and sewing, in addition to multi-purpose tools that can be checked out for up to 28 days, according to library executive director Jennifer Knisley.

The tool-lending project took more than a year to develop, she said, as library staff brainstormed the best way to lay out the borrowing parameters and decided which tools to purchase.

“Our goal is to provide more than just books; we want to be a community hub where people can access resources that improve their lives,” Knisley said, “whether you’re a seasoned DIYer or someone taking on a home project for the first time, we want to provide the tools you need to make it happen.”

Josh McConnell, department head of community education and informational services, helped design the program from a close-to-home inspiration.

The tool-lending program offered by the Altoona Area Public Library provides patrons with access to items from a power steamer to rubber mallets to tape measures. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski

“I just thought, what are the tools I have borrowed from my dad, from my family and friends in the past year,” McConnell said. “What tools have I only used a few times in the past year?”

After realizing that his home was cluttered with tools he only used once or twice a year, McConnell thought that it would be worth getting rid of some of the tools, only if he was still able to borrow them from another place.

That idea — of the library serving as a public resource for tools — became the tool- lending program, McConnell said.

Although McConnell said he is unsure if there are any similar programs in the region, he is confident that the Altoona library’s is the largest and best stocked.

And while the program is still in its infancy,

Clay modeling tools are available through the Altoona Area Public Library’s tool-lending program. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski

McConnell said that the library will grow and adapt it over time.

“I’m sure we’ll learn a lot from this,” he said.

Available tools are sorted into three different tiers, depending on their cost and estimated project duration, Knisley said.

Tier one tools can be checked out for a maximum of 28 days, tier two tools for 14 days and tier three tools for two days, with tier three requiring proof of the borrower’s credit card due to the expensive nature of the item, she said.

All of the tools were purchased with grant funds provided by the Rotary Club of Altoona and the GFWC Hollidaysburg Area Women’s Club, Knisley said.

The library opted to buy a collection of brand-new tools instead of used alternatives in order to guarantee their working condition, she said, since library staff do not have the expertise to assess some of the items.

Instruction manuals will be available for specific items, such as the pressure washer, in either a digital download or physical format, Knisley said.

Borrowers must have a library card. Borrowers also must be at least 18 years old to check out tools, in order to ensure their safe use, she added.

The library cannot accept donated tools or supplies due to size constraints of the ground-floor storage area, but may consider taking donations in the future, Knisley said.

A full list of available tools can be found at either the adult circulation desk or on the library’s website at altoonalibrary.org/services/toollendinglibrary/.

Mirror Staff Writer Conner Goetz is at 814-946-7535.