The Tool Library is thrilled to announce the return of its highly anticipated annual event, Gather, Garden + Grow, slated to take place on August 3rd. Held at The Plot Flower Farm, a unique community asset that was created using borrowed tools from The Tool Library, the event celebrates the community’s dedication to sharing resources and promoting sustainability. Attendees will enjoy a variety of family-friendly activities: Tickets: In the true spirit of a garden party, attendees are encouraged to bring their own lawn blankets, chairs and dishware (silverware, plates and glasses) to minimize waste and maximize enjoyment. These items will…
Author: Darren Cotton
For 13 years, The Tool Library in Buffalo has enabled people and organizations across Western New York to borrow the tools they need to fix their houses, grow their own food and improve their communities. Now, the local nonprofit has launched a capital campaign to purchase and renovate a home of its own: the historic building at 2626 Main St. where The Tool Library is currently located. The building is next to the Amherst Street Metro Rail station. The campaign aims to raise $1 million for The Tool Library to buy 2626 Main St. and transform it into a vital…
Next City recently published an op-ed by Darren Cotton, founder and executive director of The Tool Library, highlighting the significance of local repair movements in reshaping attitudes towards disposability and waste. The op-ed was prompted by New York State’s Digital Fair Repair Act, the first comprehensive right-to-repair law in the nation, which took effect on December 28, 2023. This law mandates that manufacturers of common electronic goods make repair parts, tools, and guides accessible to all, and several states are now considering similar legislation. While legislative strides are needed for systemic change, the op-ed emphasizes the pivotal role of local repair movements…
Cash Mob @ Parkside Candy! 11 AM this Saturday, March 23. University Heights is one of the most interesting neighborhoods in Buffalo. It’s home to great restaurants, pocket parks, lovely architecture, the North Buffalo Rail Trail, and even a world-class research university. The University Heights Collaborative (UHC) is on a mission to help Buffalo experience The Heights in a new way. We are working to support small businesses dotting Main Street through Cash Mobs, a concept that originated in Buffalo in 2011. The idea (the Cash Mob concept was born in Buffalo) is to organize a bunch of people to simultaneously show up…
The Tool Library announces it will be hosting a winter 2024 series of Dare to Repair Cafes. These volunteer-powered events put tools and talents to use in the community in an effort to reduce waste by diverting usable items from landfills. Individuals can bring broken household items such as lamps, vacuums, and small electronics to be repaired free of charge by volunteer fixers. The winter series will consist of 3 separate Dare to Repair Cafes at the following locations and Saturdays from 11 am to 2 pm: Anyone interested in bringing appliances or household items to be repaired are strongly…
The Tool Library will be celebrating International Repair Day this Saturday October 21st by hosting a Dare to Repair Café at the Orchard Park Public Library. és are pop-up community events where individuals can bring broken items (lamps, small electronics, vacuums, toys, clothing, etc.) to the repair café and have volunteer “fixers” try to repair the item alongside them for free! This volunteer-powered event puts tools and talents to use in the community in an effort to reduce waste by diverting usable items from landfills. “Repairing the things we already own is one of the simplest ways we can take action in creating…
The Tool Library will host its annual fundraiser and garden party, Gather Garden + Grow, on Saturday August 12 from 6 to 8 p.m. at The Plot Flower Farm located behind the former Cantalician Center at 3233 Main Street. During the event, guests can play lawn games, tour the garden, enjoy fresh-cut flowers, participate in basket raffles, a silent auction, activities, and more. New merchandise and memberships will be available for purchase and projects built by Tool Library members will also be on display. Tool Library volunteers will be present at the event for community members to learn more about…
When your stuff breaks, don’t ditch it – fix it! Don’t know how? The fixers with Dare to Repair will show you. Join The Tool Library and Buffalo Recycles for their January Dare to Repair Cafe on Saturday, January 21st at 11AM at the Tosh Collins Community Center in South Buffalo. Details for the event are as follows: What is a Dare to Repair Cafe you might ask? It’s a popup community event where you can bring a broken item and work with a team of fixers to try and repair the item for FREE! Dare to Repair’s goal is to share repair skills, save…
When your stuff breaks, don’t ditch it – fix it! Don’t know how? The fixers with Dare to Repair will show you. Join The Tool Library and Buffalo Recycles for their December Dare to Repair Cafe on Saturday, December 3rd at 11AM at the Frank E. Merriweather Public Library. Details for the event are as follows: Location: Frank E. Merriweather, Jr. Branch Library – 1324 Jefferson Ave, Buffalo, NY 14208 (https://goo.gl/maps/ibt3Xg6y8guNmtCYA)Date: Saturday, December 3rdTime: 11am – 2pm What is a Dare to Repair Cafe you might ask? It’s a popup community event where you can bring a broken item and work with a team of fixers to…
Buffalo, NY – The Tool Library’s service events return to put their tools and volunteers to work with a calendar of community service events every Saturday in October and on November 5. Each of the six service events provide an opportunity to beautify, strengthen, and contribute to the WNY community through direct, hands-on action. This fall’s schedule includes park and trail cleanups, planting in community gardens, and gardening at William Gaiter Parkway, and cleanup in Dewey Park. In addition to focusing on neighborhood improvement activities, The Tool Library’s service events provide an opportunity for volunteers to learn new skills, such…