Borrowing from the neighbourhood equipment library

AThe Mill Lane equipment library lends tools and household items that residents need only occasionally. Anyone aged eighteen or over who lives within the district may join. Bring photo identification and a recent document showing your address. Students living in temporary accommodation may show a letter from their college instead of a household bill. Membership is free, although borrowing some motorised equipment requires a refundable deposit. You do not need to own a home, and joining does not oblige you to volunteer. Complete the membership form at the desk before making your first reservation.

BOur online catalogue shows whether an item is available now, but it does not guarantee availability on a future date. You can reserve an item up to seven days before you want to collect it. Reservations close at noon on the day before collection. If you cannot use the website, telephone during opening hours and a volunteer will enter the reservation for you. An automatic message confirms that we have received a request; a separate message tells you that the item is ready. Please wait for the second message before travelling. Items cannot be sent to borrowers' homes.

CCollection is from the side entrance, where there is space to demonstrate larger items. Each borrower receives a checklist showing the accessories supplied. Check it with the volunteer and tell us about missing parts before leaving. Most items may be kept for three days. A single extension of two days is possible if nobody else has reserved the item. Request the extension before the original return time. For electrical items, a short safety demonstration is compulsory on your first loan of that particular model, even if you have used a similar one elsewhere.

DReturn items during staffed hours so that a volunteer can inspect them with you. The box beside the main door is for donated hand tools, not returns. Borrowers must remove dirt and empty any water containers. Ordinary wear is covered by the library; the borrower is not billed merely because a well-used handle eventually breaks. Damage caused by using an item against its instructions may lead to a repair charge. If something stops working, switch it off and contact us. Do not attempt repairs yourself, even if you believe the fault is minor.

EThe sewing machines are an exception to the usual lending period: these may be kept for a week. Each comes with an illustrated guide, but thread and fabric are not supplied. On the first Saturday of every month, experienced volunteers offer a drop-in introduction to basic sewing. You can attend without borrowing a machine. Places are allocated in arrival order, so no booking is possible. The session teaches safe use of the machines; it is not a repair service for clothing.

FWe welcome suggestions for items to add. A popular suggestion will not automatically become a purchase: storage space, maintenance and the availability of suitable training all matter. Before buying a second copy of something, we examine the waiting list to see whether requests are spread through the year or concentrated on a single weekend. Our aim is dependable access to useful equipment rather than the largest possible catalogue. The next purchasing meeting will consider requests submitted by the end of this month.