Henry St. Tool Library and Exchange

The Sunview presents an alternative model of community space in the face of the relentless instrumentalization of the built environment. Instead of a space characterized by commercial exchange through which profit might be extracted from real estate, the Sunview is premised on the notion that every urban block could (or should) have its nexus of free exchange - a garden, watering hole, library, WiFi access point, file sharing (sub-)network, swap meet, mess hall, free press, and radio station. The HTLE works toward realizing this premise by establishing a limited-range model for sharing, while fostering a communitarian spirit over and against the isolating effects of urban architecture and rampant development.

The Henry St. Tool Library and Exchange, apart from being a site which provides access to a great variety of tools which might be of use, operates under two interlocking principle concerns:

• What do we consider a tool, and how might we reconsider ideas around access and application of the tools around us, be they smart phones, hammers, or our collective energy?
• What is the relation between the value of a tool and the systems through which they are distributed?

We aim to bring in volunteer librarians throughout the year who will help establish the library over periods of one or more days per week, allowing for a schedule of open hours. Librarians help run the library, including the day-to-day cataloguing of skills-to-share, wares, books and goods, but also help to curate, contextualize and inform the collection. IRL librarians also welcome. Application forms will be posted online and outside the window of the Luncheonette starting on July 10th, and may be dropped off in person or via USPS mail on an open basis. Electronic submissions will not be accepted. Email hello@thesunview.org for more info.

–

FAQ:

What is a Tool Library? Someone else asked, too.