THE BIG IDEA

A shared drill can build a stronger neighborhood. 

When we have what we need, we care for what’s ours and for each other.

We need a Harrisburg Tool Library.

A library isn’t a handout.

It’s shared infrastructure. 

The kind that creates stability, not just repairs.

Our neighborhoods are ready to work—but the tools are out of reach. Because the system wasn’t built with us in mind.

The Tool Library is for the neighbor who wants to:

• Fix their porch but can’t afford, much less store, a miter saw.
• Plant tomatoes but can't afford a new planter.
• Stop the leaking toilet causing massive water damage but never learned how.

A tool library doesn’t fix everything. But it does clear the path. It says:

• You don’t have to buy a drill for one project.
• You don’t have to keep putting it off
• You don’t have to figure it out alone.

This is what shared infrastructure looks like: practical, accessible, and rooted in trust. It makes care possible—of our homes, of our blocks, of one another.

What We’re Doing:

We’re currently negotiating our first location in Midtown Harrisburg. Doors open in November 2025.

Until then, we’re raising $15,000 to cover the lease and prepare the space. 

Because once the doors open, the real work can begin.

 Tool Libraries work. Across the country, community run and supported libraries lend thousands of tools annually, teach hands-on skills, and save communities hundreds of thousands of dollars.

• In Portland, OR, the North Portland Tool Library saved members over $447,000 in 2013 alone.

• The Chicago Tool Library, founded in 2019, now serves 8,000+ members with thousands of tools, from table saws to sewing machines. 

• In Central Pennsylvania, cities like Carlisle and Lebanon have launched successful tool libraries.

Tool Libraries work because they are simple.

Members check out tools the same way they borrow books.

We receive guidance, attend classes, and give back through volunteering or sharing knowledge. 

 Across our city, too many of us can’t care for our homes, learn new skills, or launch small projects — not for lack of motivation, but because tools are expensive, training is limited, and space is scarce. 

• 63% of households rent—about 75% higher than the national average.

• The median income is $47,787, well below state and national averages.

• Nearly 1 in 3 renters in Harrisburg are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of their income on housing.

• Our housing stock is aging, and the cost of repairs keeps climbing.

• Tools can cost hundreds of dollars — even when they’re only needed once.

• We want to do it ourselves — we just need the resources to make that possible.

 A Tool Library is a practical, proven solution that makes it possible to fix a leaking faucet, start a garden, or build a bookshelf. No need to buy a drill on your own.

Tools aren’t just about home repairs. They’re about equity, community care, and dignity.

By the end of 2026, we aim to:

• Serve 200+ members

• Circulate 300+ tools

• Host 20+ community events

• Save residents an estimated $50,000+ in avoided tool costs

Our long-term model is 70% funded by members and donors. Sliding-scale options keep access equitable, and strategic grants (e.g. for youth programming) support growth without mission drift.