How does this impact on Community Wellbeing? Being able to borrow a range of tools and equipment means decreased inequalities due to access to tools which help people generate an income, gain skills and confidence improving employability, feel more like part of their community, be able to tackle jobs they mightn't be able to otherwise and save approx £110 per year per household. Tool libraries are also an excellent hub for people in the community to socialise with others. They challenge people's ideas of what they need to buy and what they can share with others. Furthermore they reduce huge amounts of waste and associated carbon emissions from items purchased but barely used. Why should the Committee focus on this as part of their future work? The impacts are huge especially for those with the least money. Depending on short-term funding or membership fees forces libraries to charge which only increases inequality as the service is only open to those who can afford. If a long term funded library were in every town everyone would receive these benefits and membership could be free or pay-as-you-feel everywhere. For more info see Edinburgh Tool Library or Transition Stirling for example.
This content is created by the open source Your Priorities citizen engagement platform designed by the non profit Citizens Foundation