We can spend a lot of time and money accumulating stuff, much of which we only need occasionally. Vacuum cleaners, power drills, lawn mowers tend to spend much of their lives sitting unused under the stairs or in garages. The Library of Things offers a sustainable new way to get access to everything from DIY equipment and camping gear to kitchenware and wetsuits.

The Library of Things is a social enterprise putting people and equipment together. Anyone can become a member, it’s free to join, and up to five items can be borrowed per week for a small fee. They are just starting up now, but in future are looking to make use of a range of accessible local public spaces, such as libraries, housing estates, community centres and shops.