Lending tools and building community in Philadelphia since 2007.
The West Philly Tool Library loans tools to community members so they can perform simple home maintenance, tend their yards and gardens, build furniture, start projects, and learn new skills in a safe and affordable manner.
We aim to be a community resource for homeowners, tenants, long-time residents, and newcomers—providing both the tools and the knowledge they need.
About 40% of our budget comes from membership dues and late fees. The rest comes from individual donations and support from community organizations including the Dolfinger-McMahon Foundation, the Samuel S. Fels Fund, and the Connelly Foundation. You can help too.
Jason lived in West Philly for over 10 years with a background in mechanical engineering from Drexel and an MBA from UIUC. During the pandemic he gave more time to home projects and the Library’s board, and now leads finance and operations.
Josh moved to West Philadelphia in 2010 and has held jobs as an environmental geologist and stay-at-home dad. Since buying a “new old house” in 2015 he’s added carpenter, plumber, and appliance repair to his resume.
Lucas is a software engineer by day. In his free time you’ll find him churning out molds for concrete statuary. He looks forward to meeting more neighbors and building community through the library.
Chris moved to Philly bringing experience from shipyard welding in Florida and Alaska. He loves tools and helping members find the right one for the job.
Emily recently moved to Philly from Colorado and jumped at the chance to work at the Tool Library. She’s enthusiastic about helping neighbors find the right tool and loves that every shift brings a new project to learn about.
Don joined as a volunteer in 2022 and became WPTL’s tool repair guru. A long-time West Philly resident, he previously worked with organizations like the Clark Park Farmers Market.
Grace worked as a tool librarian since 2018 after leaving a paralegal career to pursue carpentry. She joined the board in 2023 and works as a carpenter with a design/build company.
The Tool Library is staffed by four part-time tool librarians. A volunteer steering committee meets every other month to handle fundraising, policy, and administration.
Interested in joining the steering committee? Learn about volunteering.
Want to start a tool library in your community? Check out our resources page for guides, software, and advice.
West Philly Tool Library