The Newtown Tool Library works just like any other library — except the shelves are stocked with tools instead of books. Become a member and you can borrow from a growing collection of second-hand and new tools of all sorts, from hand tools to power gear. It's a project of Te Whare Hapori o ngā Puna Waiora / Newtown Community Centre, run entirely by volunteers from a neat little nook that has grown into its very own venue at 9 Constable Street, Newtown.
The idea is simple: tools are expensive, and plenty of privately owned tools only get used once in a while. By collectively owning and sharing, members save money and lighten our footprint on the planet while building community along the way. Membership keeps the wheels turning — fees go towards tool maintenance, repairs and adding new tools — and once you're a member, borrowing is completely free. Members can keep a tool for one week, and the team is always adding to the inventory, which you can browse online before you visit.
The library is powered by a volunteer team from all sorts of backgrounds who share a passion for community, skills and resource-sharing. Regular volunteers even receive free membership as a thank-you. You'll find the door at 9 Constable Street, right next door to the Newtown (book) Library and the Citizen's Advice Bureau — look for the door to the right of the public toilets. Drop in during opening hours: Wednesdays 5-7pm and Saturdays 11am-1pm, or email the team with any questions.
Why buy and store tools when you can share? That's the question behind the Newtown Tool Library, a volunteer-run lending library where the stock in trade is tools of all sorts rather than books. It works exactly like your local library: you become a member, you borrow what you need, and you bring it back a week later. The only real difference is what you walk out with — a drill rather than a novel.
The Tool Library is a project of Te Whare Hapori o ngā Puna Waiora / Newtown Community Centre, which has been part of the suburb since 1977. Its home has grown with it: from a cupboard, to a small room in the community centre, and now to its very own venue at 9 Constable Street, right next door to the Newtown (book) Library and the Citizen's Advice Bureau. Look for the door to the right of the public toilets.
Joining is straightforward. Fill in the online sign-up form, then email or drop in your proof of ID, address and payment so the team can verify your details and confirm your membership. Membership costs $30 for a year or $20 for six months — or, if you're a Wellington Timebank member, you can pay with two time credits. After that, borrowing is completely free.
Members can borrow power and hand tools, keeping each one for a week. The collection is a mix of second-hand and new tools and is always growing, so you're encouraged to check the online inventory — powered by the myTurn library system — before assuming something isn't available. If you don't see the tool you need, get in touch; the team may be able to help or add it.
Return loans on time so other members aren't left waiting, and you'll get friendly email reminders if something runs overdue. If you genuinely can't make it to a shift, small and clean tools can be returned to the Newtown Library next door during its opening hours — large or dirty tools excepted, please.
Everything here is done by volunteers from a wide range of backgrounds who share a passion for building community and sharing skills and resources. They work a roster during opening times — Wednesdays 5-7pm and Saturdays 11am-1pm — processing memberships, keeping track of loans, repairing tools and helping members get what they need.
The team is always keen to hear from new volunteers, whether you're good with people, organised, handy with tools, able to repair electrical and non-electrical items, or a trained electrical tag-and-tester. A willingness to learn counts too. As a thank-you, regular volunteers receive free membership of the Tool Library.
The philosophy is simple: tools are expensive, and many privately owned tools only get used once in a while. Collectively owning and sharing them saves members money, reduces the impact we have on the environment, and builds community in the process.
Membership fees are kept deliberately low — the aim is maximum accessibility — and that modest income covers tool maintenance, repairs and new additions to the shelves. The library also welcomes support in other forms. Tool donations are sometimes accepted if they're in good working condition, though you should always contact the team first to check they're needed; surplus tools are passed on to members or to organisations like Cahoots. Financial donations, big or small, help replace the frequently used, expensive tools — circular saws and electric drills among them — that many in the community would otherwise never get to use.
Whether you're tackling a one-off repair, starting a garden project, or simply curious, two shifts a week make it easy to drop by, sign up, and get making, fixing and creating to your heart's content.