Tool Lending Library
What is Tool Lending Library?
The Tool Lending Library supports community gardeners who are working to care for their gardens and provide fresh, healthy food for their communities but may be limited by access to tools. By removing this barrier, the Tool Lending Library helps gardens carry out essential maintenance, seasonal projects, and environmental stewardship.
Green Guerillas offers this free lending library to New York City community gardens, making tools available to gardeners ages 18 and older who are members of an NYC community garden. Tools can be delivered directly to gardens and picked up after use, or gardeners may choose to pick them up from our office. Home gardeners are not eligible.
We encourage gardeners to coordinate tool requests with their garden members, review the Tool Lending Library FAQs, and watch the required safety videos before submitting a request.
The Tool Lending Library operates each year from mid-March through October, aligning with NYC’s growing season.
Tool Lending Library Questionnaire
We’re preparing to launch the Green Guerillas Tool Lending Library in Spring 2026 and would love your input.
Help us understand which tools would best serve your community garden.
Frequently Asked Questions
Please help us learn what tools would serve your community garden.
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The first known tool lending library in the US began in 1943 in Michigan. There were several active tool share programs in California in the 1960s and 1970s. Community gardeners in Brooklyn recall that Hattie Carthan operated a tool library during the 1960’s in Bedford-Stuyvesant. Today, there are many tool library initiatives across the country including some specifically for community garden groups, like the tool library run by the Washington D.C. Department of Parks.
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Loan periods are 14 days with the option to renew for an additional 7 days.
You can make requests as often as needed. Please coordinate with your fellow garden members so that each request serves your whole group.
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For delivery to your community garden: We have regular drop offs and pick ups twice a month. We will schedule with you. For pick up from the Green Guerillas office: We have flexibility Monday through Friday from 10am - 4pm, scheduled with at least 3 days notice.
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Please continue to check back on our website.
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You can browse safety videos here or search for specific videos on YouTube.