A new community resource that hopes to promote sustainability and self-sufficiency is coming to Jefferson County this summer.  

In June, the county’s first tool library will open at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds, offering residents access to a wide range of shared tools and equipment. 

The project is spearheaded by Mandi Johnson, the outreach coordinator of the Port Townsend Marine Science Center and the face behind the local JeffCo Repair program. Tool libraries operate like regular libraries, but with tools instead of books. Locals will be able to borrow tools for a small fee or on a sliding scale. 

JeffCo Repair, a program developed by the marine science center, hosts regular repair events throughout the county, which helps divert things from the landfill. Offering a tool library was a “logical next step,” Johnson said. 

“There’s a limitless amount of things you could do, but power tools and hand tools are kind of the premise of a lot of tool libraries,” she said. “The goal is the community will shape it.”

Inspired by tool libraries across the state and county, the new initiative aims to lower the barriers to tool ownership and operation, especially for those who may not have the money, space or experience to keep their own. 

Housed in a 900-square-foot section of one of the fairgrounds’ large warehouse buildings, the tool library will look something like a mini hardware store. Visitors can expect shelves lined with a variety of tools — from power drills and saws to more unique items like canning supplies, upholstery cleaners, folding tables, and even a “party box” with enough dishes and cutlery for 30 people.

“We are still working on what it looks like, but I imagine it will look like a mini Home Depot,” Johnson said. “People can walk in and wander through and see what kind of tools they need for a project — or didn’t know they needed — and can grab it.” To guide the inventory JeffCo Repair is circulating a community survey. They plan to host a donation drive in late April or early May, inviting residents to contribute tools and equipment they no longer use. The tool library will initially include around 200 tools already purchased with grant funds over the last two years.

Funding for the tool library comes out of JeffCo repairs two-year public participation grant from the state Department of Ecology. With funds running out in June, Johnson and JeffCo Repair are working with a couple of donors to sustain the program. 

Hours of operation are still being finalized, as are the cost of borrowing tools. The current plan is to open for a few hours on weekends and weekdays, depending on volunteer availability. Staff will be onsite during open hours to help check out tools. 

A link to the survey can be found on the JeffCo Repair website.