There are sounds of saws and motors in an alley. Is that danger? A chainsaw maniac? No. Dangerous machines? Yes. Are there chemicals? A few. Get your epoxy here! 

At Crawford Place is the Capitol Hill Tool Library. The library’s process is similar to that of a regular library for books: users register to borrow a tool for two weeks and then return it. 

Some tools are marked with tape or painted pink, indicating that the tool cannot be checked out and can only be used in the workshop. Materials like screws or paint do not need to be returned. If someone fails to return a tool on time, they get a strike, and the more strikes someone gets, the fewer privileges they have at the tool library.  

Tool libraries were created to decrease waste and unnecessary purchases. Instead of buying it, someone could borrow a tool, kitchen equipment or grow a garden from the seed library. Not only are machinery tools found here, but also seedlings and a box full of free teas!  

The library tool system is a very recent development. The Capitol Hill Tool Library was built in 2016. However, the idea of tool libraries has existed since the 1940s. Originally, these workshops were called Libraries of Things.  

“So that’s fantastic if you’re a DIY kind of person, and you are a self-starter. This place is endless, endless possibilities. There’s no end to what you could be here,” Graham Robertson, a veteran volunteer, said.

The City of Seattle uses the EcoConsumer public outreach program to fund tool libraries around King County. There are six tool libraries in Seattle, and another four libraries in the wider King County area.  

Upon entering the library, the place is crammed with tools. In the main room, the front desk is flanked by two workstations. To the left are machines the size of large dogs, but that look far less gentle than canine companions. People use table saws to slice wood like it’s soft cheese. Nearby is a corner of scrap wood, free to claim.  

To the right, a bike maintenance station and a worktable are places where a craftsperson is hammering nails into wood planks. Nearby, a 3D printer and six-foot-tall shelves that are entirely occupied by an army of sewing machines, next to a box of Scrabble. In the small space, over twelve people, including both volunteers and workers, maneuver around tables. 

Inside the Capitol Hill Tool Library, it feels like Tolkien’s Hobbiton. Members of the library were focused on their tasks, either hammering or sawing. Focus should not be mistaken for obliviousness, though. Everyone is self-aware and careful of their equipment and others. Craftsmen have zestful expressions and a manner clearly showing a place of Zen. Undaunted by whirling motors in borrowed protective safety glasses. Bold in action but not in manner. First-year Social Work Major Bryton Aldridge finds value in having the skills to create and fix things herself.

“I don’t want to have to rely on a man. I’ve always relied on my Dad and my Dad is not here [at Seattle U],” Aldridge said.

For Aldridge and other Library wanderers, the accessibility to tools and people eager to teach about how to use them is a valuable resource. Volunteers greet newcomers with smiles and are more than happy to help, whether they’re returning members or not. 

“We are fortunate to live in a town that is full of brilliant, beautiful people…We have a lot of them that hang out here, and we’re really fortunate for that,” Roberston said. 

Volunteers entirely operate this library, and their commitment shows through their enthusiasm. 

 “It’s easy to become a volunteer,” Kelly Roddy, a volunteer working her first shift, said.

One of the library’s perks is that donations are always welcome. The front desk welcomes drop-offs, and the library’s official website features a wish list for wanted tools. You can also find guides on how to fix various items that can be taken home and do not need to be returned.  

Protective glasses and helmets are provided on-site. Navigation through the workshop is easy, as all shelves and drawers are labeled with Sharpies and painter’s tape, giving the place the feel of a family garage.

Through a back door across an empty indoor parking lot is the inventory room. It houses paints, wrenches, saws, pliers, sockets, kitchen appliances and more. 

Upcoming events at the library are guided workshops on 3D printing, woodshop and de-escalation skills. Visitors are welcome to join, check out tools, donate items or volunteer. Visit Oct. 18 for the latest event, Security Radio 101.