Need a hammer? Borrow one from the new St. Paul Tool Library

It's a safe bet that no one is ever going to "shush" visitors to the new St. Paul Tool Library.

In fact, with shelves holding dozens of available power tools and the ability to use table saws and drill presses on site, a cacophony of home improvement noises is welcome. The din is proof that the library's philosophy of making tools and home repair accessible to all is gaining traction.

"The ultimate goal is to have a network system of tool libraries," said Thomas Ebert, co-founder of the Northeast Minneapolis Tool Library that opened nearly two years ago and served as the model for the new St. Paul branch. "The idea is, whether it's tools for home improvement or tools for the kitchen or toys for the kids or camping gear, to reduce the barrier to access."

Opened March 4 and already boasting 60 new members, the St. Paul Tool Library charges households $55 a year. For that amount, members can borrow any tool on the shelf at the St. Paul or Northeast libraries for a week at a time. If St. Paul doesn't have a tool — its inventory of about 800 tools still is filling out with donations — chances are that Northeast, with its nearly 3,000 tools in stock, will. In two years, Northeast has grown to nearly 400 members.

Browse the shelves in the new St. Paul space on the lower level of the former American Can factory at 755 N. Prior Av. and you'll find power drills, orbital sanders, concrete mixers, wrenches, saws and hammers galore. The St. Paul library is open Tuesdays and Fridays from 5 to 8 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Between the two sites, the libraries are open five days a week.

To Caleb Belleveau, St. Paul's new tool librarian, the concept of tool libraries is nearly a no-brainer. Chances are, if you own a home, you have tools that you've bought and haven't used more than once or twice, he said. So people tend to fall into one of two camps: Those who have a bunch of tools they seldom use taking up space, and those who struggle to find a hammer when needed.

"I'm the guy among my friends who has a whole bunch of tools," he said. "But most people don't. This is all about access over ownership."

"We spent a year raising money," he said. "And we hope for 200 members by the end of the year."

As St. Paul's membership and tool numbers grow, the plan is to eventually offer do-it-yourself courses at the library, Belleveau said.

"It's about getting people to realize their own ability," he said. "And there's a social aspect to it as well."

Count Todd Tanner as a believer. The Frogtown resident stopped by the St. Paul library last week looking for a power drill he could use in a tight space. Tanner, board president of the nonprofit ReUse Minnesota, said the notion of borrowing tools when needed instead of buying tools that are seldom used makes perfect sense.

Being able to borrow tools saves money. Learning how to fix things saves money. Using borrowed tools to fix things makes for a more sustainable society, he said.

To get more information on the St. Paul Tool Library, call 651-644-1882. To contact the Northeast Minneapolis Tool Library, call 612-440-8665. On the web, go to mntoollibrary.org.