If you have ever looked in someone’s garage, chances are you will see a bunch of unused tools lying around. It seems silly; instead of knocking on neighbors doors to borrow a saber, or hedge trimmer, or rambit, we go out and but new ones, use them once or twice and let them sit and rot in the garage. Compiling all these tools would reduce waste, consumption, and save us money. Luckily, tool lending libraries do the compiling for us. My first encounter with such a library came last year when I had to steam off some wallpaper. Instead of renting from a big box store ($25), or purchasing a wallpaper steamer (I am never steaming again!) I borrowed a one from my local library at no cost. All I needed was a library card. The library has garden, plumbing, carpentry tools and offers workshops based on interest. The staff was knowledgeable and gave me tips on the other tools I might need for my project. You can borrow the tools for three days and renew if necessary. There are tool lending libraries operated in conjunction with many book libraries; some non-profits also offer a free tool service. So, next time you need that putty knife, nipple extractor or sawhorse, see if you can borrow it!