Sep 14, 2026 · 13 min · 8 segments
How many of us have spent money on appliances, camping gear or tools that we only use a few times a year? What if we borrowed some of this stuff instead of buying it? Katy Gosset visits a tool library…
Katie GossettHost
Paul DietscheGuest
Greer SwinardGuest
Hannah WildingGuest
David JasperGuest
So how do you get an organisation like this off the ground in a small community? Tip one is all about the structure and the people involved.
Paul is the chairperson of the trust, but says there's been a lot of community collaboration.
They've had support from the Christchurch City Council, a local security firm, and appropriately, the makerspace occupies land that's been kind of borrowed from the Lyttelton Port Company.
They've found a kind of online database that makes it easy for customers to see what tools are available.
The library just needs to upload images of its tools so members can view and reserve them online.
But as people have realised the benefits of the library, a community has grown around it.
So how do you get an organisation like this off the ground in a small community? Tip one is all about the structure and the people involved.
Paul is the chairperson of the trust, but says there's been a lot of community collaboration.
They've had support from the Christchurch City Council, a local security firm, and appropriately, the makerspace occupies land that's been kind of borrowed from the Lyttelton Port Company.
They've found a kind of online database that makes it easy for customers to see what tools are available.
The library just needs to upload images of its tools so members can view and reserve them online.
But as people have realised the benefits of the library, a community has grown around it.
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3 of 6
The Sixteen-Minute Drill
Tools spend more time stored than used
Tools Need To Be Used
Borrowing can unlock savings beyond the purchase
Share Tools With Neighbours
Sharing locally can make expensive tools accessible
+3 more clips · 3 min 49 sec of audio in all
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