Have you ever wanted to build a cabinet from scratch? How about doing some minor repairs around the house? Some of us have had thoughts like this but quickly dismissed them as idle fantasy when we realized how much the tools would cost. Or worse, we actually bought the tools, used them once, and then put them in the garage with all the other things we’ve only ever used once or twice.Perhaps if we’re lucky a neighbour will ask to borrow our tools when they have a project themselves. However, the tool is still sitting unused in our garage for the majority of its existence. This is an extremely wasteful way to live but the Toronto Tool Library (TTL) can change all that.A tool library is a library that lends out tools instead of books. Since opening in Parkdale in 2013, the Toronto Tool Library has lent out over 25 000 tools to it’s over 2 300 members. It soon opened a second location in the Danforth, which includes a wood shop, 3D printer, laser cutter, and a weekly community night, where non-members can use any of the on-site tools for free (including the 3D printer and laser cutter). Last April, the Tool Library opened its first location in a branch of the Toronto Public Library, at the Downsview Library (2793 Keele St). For the first time ever, a Torontonian could now borrow books and tools under the same roof (and also pick up some free seeds courtesy of the Toronto Seed Library).“Tool Libraries not only save money from the high cost of buying or renting tools, they also reduce clutter in the home and reduce environmental impact by using fewer resources” said Ryan Dyment, Executive Director of the TTLFor $50 a year, one can purchase a basic membership and borrow any of the over 1200 tools, in the Downsview Library branch, for one week. These include hand tools like screwdrivers and hammers, power tools such as band saws and angle grinders, and gardening tools like branch cutters and lawn mowers, with additional borrowing fees for some power tools (the $100/year membership removes these fees and also allows access to the other locations).There are no limits on the number of tools a member is allowed to borrow at any given time but members are asked to take no more tools than they actually need, with reasonable late fees of $1/day for hand tools and $2/day for power tools. The Tool Library is open three days a week: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3 to 8 pm, and on Saturdays from 10 am to 3 pm. However, as membership numbers increase they hope to be open for an additional day, ensuring that the local community has access to the library for the majority of the week.Perhaps now you can get started on that home project you’ve always had an interest in, and now you don’t have to worry about exorbitant purchasing fees or being stuck with a tool you’ll never need again. As the Toronto Tool Library says, “Nobody actually needs a power drill – what they need is a hole in the wall”.