Onkaparinga Council launches ‘Library of Things’ in effort to reduce waste

Want a buy a chocolate fountain but know you’ll use it once, and then throw it in the cupboard? Now you don’t have to.

Woodcroft Library will host the first 'Library of Things. Picture: Supplied

Need a backpack or tent for your teenager’s school hike? Or maybe you want a thermal camera to check your powerpoints?

Items we often buy and use once end up languishing in the shed – or even in landfill – but now Onkaparing Council is coming to the rescue, with its ‘Library of Things’.

Now open at Woodcroft Library, the library encourages sustainable living and promotes a circular economy by fostering re-use and reducing waste.

Adults to borrow up to four items – ranging from party equipment to camping gear – for free for up to two weeks using a Libraries SA card.

Woodcroft Library staff with some of the items available for borrowing. Picture: Supplied

It includes equipment for a one-off home project or just things you want to check before you buy to see if they’re useful – such as chocolate fountain or pond dipping nets.

The wide range of items available were selected by the council after asking the community for feedback on what items they would like to borrow.

Angela Berney, team leader at Woodcroft Library, said the Library of Things includes baking trays, outdoor equipment and even a thermal camera.

“We have a lot of baking trays, especially if you have a child turning one or two, we have trays to make numbers – often they’re are one-use item.

“We have a tent, a hiking backpack for kids on events – they might need it only for one excursion.

“We daughter was going on a day trip and we bought a bag from Marketplace but we never used it again.”

The library has a chocolate fountain, a light level meter to check the lighting standards for offices and an $800 thermal camera.

Woodcroft Library staff with some of the items available for borrowing. Picture: Supplied

“If you had it at home, you could check if your power plugs are overheating to see if your insulation has been installed correctly,” she said.

“So we have some high-cost items, and low-end items for people to try before they buy. The whole idea is to cut down on waste and things going into landfill.”

The library includes a number of outdoor items such as binoculars, telescope, metal detector, magnifying glasses, picnic set and high-pressure washed and party speaker.

Woodcroft already has a toy and sport library, and Ms Berney said they tend to find breakage was minimal

“We rarely charge for accidental breakage, but if a dog has chewed it, or something like that, most people are willing to pay,” she said.

The wide range of items available were selected by the council after asking the community for feedback on what items they would like to borrow.

The City of Onkaparinga then conducted a survey and use those results to create a shopping list that can now be viewed via the library catalogue.

The council strongly encourages suggestions for new items, and in a year, will consult the community on what other items would be useful in the collection.

Donations will be considered on a “case-by-case” basis.

The Library of Things initiative was approved by the City of Onkaparinga in July 2023 as an additional action in the council’s Climate Change Response Plan.