Experience

My role with the Chicago Tool Library has allowed me to connect with people around the world hoping to launch their own lending programs. I have consulted with public library systems, parks systems, nonprofits, and individuals planning lending projects for tools, seeds, musical instruments, art supplies, sports equipment, and more! Please get in touch if you're looking for consultation to bring a lending program to your community.

Tessa's experience on how to start a Tool Library/Library of Things is one of a kind. The fact that she started the CTL from scratch and as a grassroots initiative makes her one of the few people nationally to have gone through all of the project phases, making her an invaluable asset in the Library of Things ecosystem.

As a staff member of the Evanston Public Library, I sought Tessa's help to provide us with a roadmap of how to start our own Library of Things. She provided clear guidelines as well as details on what to expect in each phase and how to handle and solve the most common issues we might encounter.

Tessa's advice and guidelines gave us a solid starting point for our own LoT initiative, and being able to count with her expertise is one of the main reasons why we are confident in taking on this project.

- Beatriz Echeverría, Evanston Public Library