ETL Blog
A place for announcements, events, projects & opinions
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We're going for it- thanks to your support! Below we provide more information on our new service, including a few changes to the proposal and answers to some of the questions we received in our survey.  What's Changed?We're using a reservation system that will allow members to sign in to their accounts and reserve items. Tips for using the new reservation system: - Visit our inventory, and click the "Log In" icon in the top right corner. - If you can't remember your password or your username, enter your email and reset your password. - You can only login with your username. You can retrieve your username by resetting your password. - Only book/keep tools for the amount of time that you need (within the two week period). - Make sure that you have access to the email on your account. - If you have any issues, don't hesitate to email us! We are not granting renewals if there are reservations on an item. Depending on the lateness of an item, we may decide to charge late fees. We're also opening every second Saturday from 11am-3pm. questions and concernsWe're always accepting new members and current memberships will be extended. Prospective members can get a membership here. You can then complete your account by visiting the library or getting in touch via email with us to arrange a phone call to complete your account. You will need to bring ID with you the first time you visit the library. If you're an individual trying to make use of a community league membership (and you haven't borrowed tools from us before), you'll need to fill out our membership form and sign our waiver (including the Covid-19 addition) which can also be found on the membership page. We're working on implementing digital forms, but for now we're using paper. If you don't have access to a printer, we will have spare forms available during open hours. If you purchase a membership: You will also need to fill out the membership form. You can print off a copy or we can have you fill one out when you visit the library. We're currently working on getting digital forms so watch for development there! Yes, we have garden tools! The launch of this service has given us the opportunity to get our online inventory in tip-top shape- but that process will take some time, so while we work on adjusting our inventory, feel free to email us regarding yard and garden tools. We'll get back to you the day before we're open, and we'll be using a first-email-first serve model. We're sticking with two-week loan periods... for now. Finding the balance between reasonable wait times and reasonable loan periods is tricky. Every loan will have two possible drop-off days, and we've adjusted our opening hours on Saturdays. We're encouraging members to consider their availability to return a tool before they borrow it. There will be plenty of opportunities for feedback as we test this out and we're very open to changing this service as needed. Didn't get the tool you want? Don't be shy- let us know! This is a great opportunity for us to build a collection that means something to our community. If we know what you need, we can keep our eyes peeled for donations and grants that will support the development of our tool collection. See you soon, Edmonton!
- The ETL Team We're thinking about trying something new and we want to hear from you- Check out our curbside service proposal below and fill out this google form to let us know what you think!   Our doors may be closed for now, but our board has openings!
Edmonton Tool Library Volunteer Board Member Closing Date: March 15th, 2021 Now, more than ever, we understand the need for community-- we would love to have you join ours! This volunteer position provides the opportunity to develop community connections and gain experience in a supportive and friendly environment. The Edmonton Tool Library (ETL) is a registered not-for-profit society in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, which provides affordable access to hand, power, and garden tools for its members. Through this work we strengthen the social (sharing) economy in Edmonton and reduce our impact on the environment. As a Board Member, you will assist the organization with policy creation, financial oversight, fundraising, marketing and overall strategic direction. The ETL is an operating board, so you will also work monthly shifts at the library. Desired Skills: We’re looking for people who are passionate about sustainability and making their community a better place to be by encouraging the sharing of tools, knowledge, and skills in a welcoming, inclusive and creative environment. Skills or experience in any of the following areas would be considered assets but are not required to apply: finance and accounting, fundraising, grant writing, human resources, marketing and communications/social media, board governance, use and maintenance of hand and power tools, library and/or inventory management. Note: This year the Edmonton Tool Library will be recruiting for the following Executive Roles: Secretary, and Treasurer. Commitment: Successful candidates will be required to:
Work Location: Edmonton Tool Library, Bellevue Community League, 7308 112 Ave, Edmonton, AB. How to apply: Applications sent via email are preferred. Please include a resume and letter of interest saved as one file. Please submit all applications to [email protected]. Download a PDF of the Job Posting here. This past year has had its challenges, but we have continued to move forward thanks to the support of our members and community, as well as the positive attitude of our team. Looking to the future, we remain optimistic, flexible, and ready to work with new members and ideas-- we can’t wait to meet you! COVID-19 UPDATE: We are still temporarily closed and will remain so until the city and government officials, as well as our board, deem it safe to operate. In the meantime, stay safe Edmonton! The ETL Team Dear Members,
Given the recent public health restrictions set out by the Government of Alberta and the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the Edmonton region, we have decided to close temporarily until further notice. While the update to COVID-19 restrictions on November 24th did not require many changes to our current operation, we have made this voluntary decision in the interest of reducing the risk in our region. This is a decision we did not take lightly. We know that many of you are spending a great amount of time at home and having access to the library has provided a helpful outlet. However, due to the size of our space, and the logistics of sharing, we felt we could not continue to provide service that would be safe enough for our members and volunteers during this time. We will remain open this Saturday November 28, for both returns and rentals. If you’re doing a big project, now is the time to rent some tools and have them for a month! Please note only one person is allowed in the tool library at a time, and if we are helping someone inside at the time of your arrival, you must wait outside or in your car. Two librarians will be on site to guide you through this process. We appreciate our community’s support and dedication in helping get through this difficult time. We can’t wait to beat this thing and be back to regular operations. Things to keep in mind:
Give the gift that keeps giving this holiday season! For only $50, you get a one-year membership loaded with benefits and you'll be supporting a local Edmonton non-profit.
This year, we hope our little organization can help make things a little bit brighter for you and yours by providing affordable ways to get those projects done! What's included in a 1-year membership?
Gift memberships for the Edmonton Tool Library are available now! Thank you to our community for your patience, as we worked hard to get the Edmonton Tool Library safely ready for operations again! We are excited to announce that we will be officially reopening as of September 12, 2020.
What to expect on your next visit:
What to expect as a new member:
Also a very large thank you to Strathcona Spirits and Sci-Tech for donating hand sanitizer and disinfectant to the Edmonton Tool Library! First of all, from the bottom of our hearts, we want to thank our community for your understanding and all the hard work that you are doing in our great city to keep social distance and beat this thing!
The Edmonton Tool Library will remain closed until it is deemed safe by city and government officials to reopen and we will follow respective guidelines when we do. During this temporary closure, please keep the following in mind:
Please watch our social media for updates. Thank you for your support, understanding, and patience during this time. Stay healthy, The Edmonton Tool Library Board MARCH 15, 2020 Effective immediately, the Edmonton Tool Library is temporarily closed until further notice to help limit the spread of COVID-19. The health of our volunteers and patrons is our foremost priority.
During this temporary closure, please keep the following in mind:
Thank you for your support, understanding and patience during this difficult time as we work together to ensure the well-being of Edmontonians. Stay healthy, The Edmonton Tool Library Board It's been six months since we opened and the Edmonton Tool Library is pleased to report that we have an extensive amount of tools for you to borrow! The tools have been donated to us from very generous Edmontonians and our inventory now has over 350 items!
While we are still in need of many tool donations, there are certain things we have in duplicates and are not in need of. Please contact us [email protected] if you have further questions. TOOLS WE NEED:
TOOLS WE DON'T:
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AuthorThe Edmonton Tool Library blog is maintained by the Board, with the occasional guest post. We hope you enjoy it! Archives
March 2023
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