Three Systems That Can Help Your Neighborhood.

Three systems that can help your neighborhood.

If you want a way to help out people in your area that has little-to-no interaction with said people, I have three options for you.

📚 Tiny Library 📚

While real libraries are vitally important, they are not always in an available distance to communities. That’s where the tiny libraries come in: they put books directly into communities.

They work on the honor code, so there is no fear of fees, and people can add new books if they wish.

They can come in many forms, such as:

Taking over an unused space, such as a phone box

Having a weather-proof box built and placed in a park or in your front yard.

Having a bookshelf/bookcase placed in an indoor space: such as an apartment lobby, a rec center, or a community center.

Essentially, all you need is something that will safely hold the books (I have even seen altered fridges and microwaves), and books. Some of these lend more than books, too. For example, some have movies, video games, or craft supplies.

If you want to be extra fancy, you can buy stamps online with the address of your tiny library to mark the books and items donated, or you can just let things be.

If you live in an apartment, you may be able to get permission to put one of these in the lobby. Otherwise, you could talk to officials about putting one in a park.

🥫 Tiny Pantry 🥫

Just like tiny libraries, these are showing up in my neighborhood too.

Accidentally bought a soup you don’t like? With a tiny pantry in your community, you can make it available to people who do like it, as well as people who you might not realize are in need.

All it takes is a weather-proof box for non-perishable items, but some people who have these on their own properties even add a (properly protected) fridge. Either way, this addition can make a huge difference to communities.

One suggestion I have is to not get angry if you find one empty(I have seen posts ranting about this online). Instead, assume someone really needed the items, and add more.

If you live in an apartment, you may be able to get permission to put one of these in the lobby.

⚒️ Tool Library ⚒️

Not only are tools expensive, but not everyone has the space for them. On the flip side, some people suddenly have tools that they don’t know what to do with (such as when a loved one passes away). With a tool library, people can donate those tools for the community to use.

It is not all construction tools, either. It could be crafting tools (example: jewelry making tools) so you can try out a new hobby without having to purchase and store everything, or even an appliance you don't need all the time (example: a carpet cleaner).

Here are some different setups I have seen:

Actual Libraries: Some community libraries have started lending tools the same way they do for books. You can suggest this to your own local library.

Apartment Hall Closets: Some people can convince their apartments to let them take over an unused space.

Community Sheds: Some small villages have a community shed run on the honor code

Tool "Library" Shops: in some places, tool "libraries" are popping up that have actual staff, but are not connected to book libraries. For some of these, you rent the items with money, instead of lending them for free once you have a library card. For that reason, I personally think of these as rental shops, rather than libraries.