01 Apr 2025
We’re sure we can all recall a time when we’ve considered knocking on a neighbour’s door to cheekily ask to borrow a steam cleaner, lawn mower or drill. Sometimes the rarity of how often you might ever use something cancels out the potential benefit of a trip to Argos.
Enter ‘Share St Albans’, the new libraries of things on London Road. The answer to your “I-just-need-one-of those!” moments.
The service, which encourages people to borrow not buy, is run by not-for-profit CIC The Green House and opened its doors this week.
It is part of a growing movement of more than 70 libraries of things around the country.
Not only does it help people to spend less money, it also means people with limited storage space can save it for something else and it is kinder to the planet.
Users can borrow items such as household and garden tools, specialised cooking equipment, items for parties and camping equipment.
Tricia Gibbons is the founder and director of The Green House, which supports and guides residents to move towards a greener lifestyle by promoting sustainability, helping people connect with nature, protecting the local bio-diversity and assisting people reduce their carbon footprint.
She said: “Since The Green House project launched in 2022 we have been watching the growing popularity of – and are so excited to now be joining – the wider borrowing community. With some generous funding from St Albans district council’s ‘Greener Together’ initiative we opened on Saturday.”
Tricia said there has been a great response already, both in person and on social media with “lots of lovely comments” wishing them well and people signing up to be members.
“Libraries of things have far-reaching benefits which we hope Share St Albans will also provide. Firstly, borrowing rather than buying is a great option for the planet. The majority of the items stocked will be second-hand and fully safety-checked. This encourages a circular economy and reduces consumption and waste.”
Annual membership is £10 with hire charges costing between £1 and £4 with a few larger items costing £8.
The items available were chosen based on local surveys carried out as well as information from other libraries of things. They are currently focusing on home and entertainment and DIY and gardening. There are disco lights, a popcorn maker, an ice cream maker, a gazebo, folding tables and chairs, number-shaped cake tins and giant garden games. In the DIY and gardening section there is a sewing machine, a sander, a hand drill, a glue gun, a ladder and a leaf blower.
Tricia added: “We look forward to welcoming people to Share St Albans and telling them all about this exciting new project.
“We are a volunteer-led, not-for-profit project so please do let us know if you would like to join the team. Perhaps you have something you would like to donate.”
It is open from 11-2 pm on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and on Thursday evenings from 5pm until 7pm.
Find out more at sharestalbans.org
