Borrow drills, coffee urns, camping equipment at Markham library

Starting in July, you can borrow household items through York Region's Lendery

Yorkregion.com
June 4, 2019
Amanda Persico

Hosting a family gathering and need a coffee urn? Trying to spruce up your living room with DIY shelves and planters?

You could spend the money to buy a new coffee urn that will only sit in storage after it’s used once or maybe twice.

Or you could borrow one from the region’s Lendery, a loanable library of common household items.

The Lendery, which launches in July at Markham’s Milliken Mills Public Library, is part of the region’s smart living sustainability plan, where the focus is going back to the 3Rs -- reuse, repair and repurpose.

“Instead of discarding items or buying something you use only every so often, why not borrow it,” said project co--ordinator Myron McLelland.

“A coffee urn isn’t something you use regularly. You might use it a couple of times, then it just sits around.”

The Lendery pilot project allows York Region residents to sign out and borrow dozens of items, saving money and space.

“You don’t have to spend the money to buy it and you don’t have to waste the space storing the item,” McLelland said.

By flashing your library, you can have access to about three dozen household items, tools and sporting equipment, such as camping gear, drills and drill bits, a bocce ball set and a coffee urn.

The Milliken Mills public library branch was the perfect place to launch the pilot project, as its established and well--used digital equipment and toy collection is already incorporated into the library system, said branch manager Leah Rucchetto.

“Libraries are there to enrich our lives,” she said. “Libraries offer more than stuff to read. Now, there’s tools, so you can borrow a drill, sanders and level to create something.”

Similar to borrowing a book, card holders can checkout items for a week and daily late fees apply.

Currently, there are 35 and counting Lendery items available to any person with a Markham Public Library card, which is open to all York Region residents, Rucchetto added.

Items are maintained and repaired by members of NewMaketIt’s Build Club.

The goal is to expand and offer the Lendery service throughout the region.

For more information, visit york.ca/lendery.