Tool Library work day on Sat, Jan 28


The Tool Library needs your help.

On Saturday, January 28, we’re having a Winter Work Day from 9am to noon. We’re going to be re-organizing our tools, building new shelves, and sorting through tool donations. We could really use your help.

We’ll provide you with coffee to get you going in the morning. And we’ll provide you with pizza at lunch time.

Come out, meet other interesting Tool Library members, and have some fun. We could really use your help.

If you can make it, please RSVP by sending Michael an email at michael@westphillytools.org.

Thanks! And see you then.

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Join the Energy Co-op & Support your Tool Library

The Tool Library and The Energy Co-op are excited to announce a new partnership.

For every person that joins the Energy Co-op through a referral from the Tool Library, the Co-op will give the Tool Library $20.

Why should you join the Energy Co-op?

Renewable energy. The Energy Co-op offers two plans. EcoChoice20 is 15% windpower, 5% solar, and 80% standard energy. EcoChoice100 is 99% windpower and 1% solar. All of its energy is generated by turbines and solar panels here in Pennsylvania.

Affordable electricity. Currently, PECO charges 9.91c per kilowatt/hour (kWh). The Energy Co-op’s EcoChoice20 Plan is 9.85c per kWh. Its EcoChoice100 Plan is 10.95c per kWh.

Here’s how your monthly bill would compare if your household uses 700 kWh:

The Energy Co-op also charges an annual co-op membership (just like the Tool Library) of $15.

Support Cooperatives. The Energy Co-op is the only non-profit, member-owned energy supplier today. Just like the Tool Library, the Energy Co-op doesn’t operate just to make a profit for its shareholders.

Help the Tool Library. Did we mention that the Energy Co-op will give the Tool Library $20 for every person who joins the Energy Co-op?

It’s Easy. When you’re ready to join, you’ll need your PECO Account Number. Then go here. On the second page, where it asks you how you heard about the Energy Co-op, write “Tool Library.”

If you prefer, we have paper copies of the application available at the Tool Library.

More information about The Energy Co-op’s electricity programs is available on their website.

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Closed tonight due to illness


Sorry, all. We have to close tonight. We’ll be open again tomorrow.

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Welcome to our 1000th member

Ladies & Gentlemen, let’s welcome Abby (and her friend, Justin), the Tool Library’s 1000th member. They joined the Tool Library tonight.

Happy borrowing!

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It’s here: live listing of all of our tools

Want to see what tools the Tool Library has?  Want to see whether they’re currently in stock and when they might be due back?  Now you can.

Thanks to the our new tool library database–officially called ToolLibrarian, but around here affectionately called “Portland” because it was developed by the Southeast Portland Tool Library–you can see an up-to-date listing of all 3000+ tools by going to our website and clicking “Our Tools.”

It’s been a big project getting this up and running.  When we started the Tool Library, we never expected that anyone other than the Tool Librarians would be viewing the names of the tools.  So we’ve had to go back and re-write a lot of the tool names, changing, for example, “Big red pliers with funny handle” to “Pliers – Large.”

We couldn’t have done it without the great volunteer assistance of Nick who went through all of the listings and categorized hundreds of tools.  (That’s him to the left there in a place much warmer than Philly was this week.)  Thanks, Nick.

As you’re reviewing the tool listing, if you see any name that should be changed or a tool that’s in the wrong category, can you let us know?  Email the tool ID (you can find this out by hovering your mouse over the tool name), the tool name, and what you think should be changed to info@westphillytools.org.

Thanks!

 

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Thanks, John.

The Tool Library wouldn’t exist without a steady stream of volunteers.  Like John, for example.

John is one of our regular volunteers here at the Tool Library. Not only is he handy at fixing tools when we’re in a pickle, John’s also been helping us sort through our new donations at lightning speed!

Originally from New Hampshire, John is trained as an architect and now works to make West Philly more livable. He finds the grilled cheese at Gold Standard especially tasty but doesn’t mind sharing the other half. He enjoys his weekly trips to the tool library because he never knows what he’ll find! There’s a gleaming retro floor buffer he’s got his eye on.

Thanks, John.

Interested in volunteering with us?  Please drop us a line at info@westphillytools.org.  

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The New York Times talks about tool libraries

Earlier this month, the New York Times did a story on borrowing.  It featured the Berkeley Tool Library among other places that loan tools, toys, and expensive handbooks.  It’s a fun read.

You can read it by clicking here.

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Holiday Hours

The Tool Library is going to be closed this Saturday (12/24) and Monday (12/26) but otherwise have our same hours during this end-of-year holiday season.

Sat, 12/24 CLOSED
Mon, 12/26 CLOSED
Tues, 12/27 6:30pm-8:30pm
Weds, 12/28 6:30pm-8:30pm
Thurs, 12/29 6:30pm-8:30pm
Sat, 12/31 9am-3pm
Mon, 1/2 6:30pm-8:30pm

 

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Anya & her son, Matt: “I think it’s a great opportunity that we have a Tool Library in our neighborhood. It’s a good family activity.”

OK, you may be getting slightly annoyed that we keep posting requests for year-end tax-deductible donations.  So this will be the last one.

But we’ve got to ask one more time.  If you think that the Tool Library is a good thing to have in your neighborhood, we could really use your support.

Please click here today to help us stay afloat into 2012.

Thanks!

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William: “The West Philly Tool Library is great.”

This past Saturday, the 990th member joined the Tool Library.  This year alone, almost 400 different members borrowed tools.   That’s an increase of 14% over 2010.

Help us to continue to reach out to neighbors and community members.  Consider making a year-end tax-deductible contribution today by clicking here.

Thanks for your support.

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