The SHED (Share, Help, Educate, Do) Tool Library is inviting the public to a membership drive and DIY demo starting on Saturday, June 11th at the MakeItZone in Courtenay. The membership drive is running from June 11th to June 30th.
Similar to a traditional library, a tool library allows members to borrow tools for projects without having to purchase them. The SHED operates out of the MakeItZone, a makerspace and STEM/STEAM education centre for the Comox Valley.
“Our goal is to encourage people to become makers, working with their hands and building things while removing the cost barriers of investment in tools that you may only use for one or two projects,” said Calliope Gazetas, president of the SHED. “A community with access to resources and learning is a more resilient community.”
Tools range from scrapers, clamps and precision screwdrivers, to wet tile saws, orbital sanders and joiners. The SHED is also expanding with a growing inventory of specialty tools for gardening and auto repair projects.
To kick off the membership drive, the SHED is holding a container garden build demo using tools from the library, up-cycled wood and seeds from the Vancouver Island Regional Library Seed Library, Saturday, June 11 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the MakeItZone, 907 McPhee Ave. in Courtenay. June 11 also marks the return of the MakeItZone’s Adult Builders Club — a chance to work on fun projects and learn about mechanisms, electronics, and more.
“As we grow our tool library we are planning on more collaborative projects with other libraries, to offer workshops and demos, and to increase our ability to facilitate knowledge sharing in the Comox Valley,” said Gazetas.
Learn more about the SHED Comox Valley and the discounted annual fees for the membership drive: https://www.facebook.com/theshedcv. Browse their available tools online: https://theshedcv.myturn.com