by KYW's Lauren Lipton
Several cities around the country have one, and now Philadelphia does, too. The West Philly Tool Library, at 4620 Woodland Avenue, is open every Saturday morning.
Stacey Hendricks (second from right, holding mallet) is volunteer coordinator at the nonprofit, all-volunteer tool library:
"We tried to get things that appeal to everybody: drywall/sheetrock finishing tools. We have gardening tools, and much more."
Hendricks says that for $20 a year you can borrow any tool that you might need, instead of buying it or renting it for big bucks.
"If somebody asked for a torque wrench, we'd purchase one."
And a steady stream of people came in on the Saturday I visited.
(Resident #1:) "I've got to go through the brick, so the hammer drill might be a good way to go."
(Resident Teddy Garfield:) "I borrowed a sander and a saw--it's called a circular saw. I was doing my cabinets over."
Teddy Garfield says all these community projects make a big difference:
"The neighborhood's coming a long way."
Neighborhood resident Kathleen O'Donnell builds boats and furniture:
"I'm here to join. There are probably some things that I don't have, but also I think it's a great idea and I want to support it for the whole community."
(Hendricks:) "Philly's had some down times. It's time to get ourselves up by our bootstraps. It's a lot harder to commit a violent crime against somebody who has helped you out."
The tool library is open to everyone, and could use your help. For more information go to www.westphillytools.org.
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