As someone who just paid way too much to get my couch steam cleaned, I wish I’d researched this list sooner. Did you know you can borrow lots of devices — steamers included — from the Chicago Public Library? And that’s not the only route to get useful gadgets on loan.
Chicago Tool Library in Garfield Park
The nonprofit operating out of 4015 W. Carroll Ave. offers tool loans at both the individual and organizational level. To take advantage, you must become a member.
Individual membership is pay-what-you-can and grants access to 3,000+ tools. There are no extra fees for individual members. Organization membership is between $150 and $500 per year and includes access to 5,000+ tools.
Camping gear membership is also an option! That costs $100 per year and offers nature lovers a selection of 200+ items, including tents, sleeping bags, and cookware.
The Library of Things in Buena Park
The Library of Things is exactly what it sounds like: a little broad, a little random. On shelves at Chicago Public Library’s Uptown Branch, you can find a telescope, a vacuum food sealer, a tortilla press, a bubble machine, a cornhole set, a popcorn maker, a pasta maker, a deep fryer, and an ice cream maker among other items. Use the Library of Things to inspire activity ideas, especially with kids, or test out a product before you decide to purchase.
Creative Chicago Reuse Exchange in Auburn Gresham
"Trash is just a failure of imagination." That’s the motto of Creative Reuse Exchange, a nonprofit operating out of a warehouse at 2124 W 82nd Place. CCRx accepts donations of a range of materials that are too good to toss — especially school items, including whiteboards, microscopes, and binders — and redistributes them to teachers and community groups at little-to-no cost. While it’s not technically a borrowing service, it’s a sharing economy.
