It has been a year since the borough’s residents welcomed a new way to borrow, not buy — and people have embraced it wholeheartedly.
The Library of Things is a community hub where users can rent useful household items for a small fee, starting from as little as £1.50 per day. There are more than 30 items available to borrow from the library, helping both your purse, and the planet.
Since opening its doors in Ealing Broadway shopping centre in June 2024, the Library of Things has helped 672 residents borrow 886 useful items, from drills and sewing machines to projectors and pressure washers. The most borrowed item has been the ever-popular carpet cleaner, borrowed a total of 274 times within the year.
But, the impact goes far beyond convenience. According to data from Library of Things, the community has saved an impressive £184,000 by borrowing instead of buying in just 12 months. That’s money staying in people’s pockets, and less clutter in cupboards.
The environmental benefits are just as powerful. Borrowing reduces the amount of polluting carbon emissions in the air from new items being manufactured or thrown away.
By choosing to share rather than shop, residents have helped prevent 9.6 tonnes of items going to waste and saved 27.3 tonnes of polluting carbon emissions. That’s the equivalent of driving from London to Edinburgh and back more than 100 times.
A growing movement
The Library of Things is part of a growing movement to make borrowing better than buying. It’s a simple idea: instead of buying something you’ll only use once or twice, you borrow it for a small fee.
Councillor Paul Driscoll, the council’s cabinet member for climate action, said: “The Library of Things is a brilliant example of how small changes can make a big difference. It’s helping residents save money, reduce waste and build a stronger, more connected community. We’re proud to support it.”
Wider circular economy
The Library of Things is funded by Ealing Council as part of its commitment to tackling the climate emergency.
By allowing users to rent items instead of buying them, it reduces the risk of those items being wasted and never used again.
The Library of Things is part of the council’s wider circular economy programme where materials and products are reused in a sustainable or environmentally friendly way, rather than being wasted.
Visit Library of Things
Whether you’re deep-cleaning your carpets, fixing a fence, or hosting a garden party, the Library of Things is here to help — without the cost or clutter.
You can browse the items on offer on its website and collect from the Library of Things lockers in St Saviour’s Walk, Ealing Broadway Shopping Centre, W5 5JY.
