Borrow

A community library for you to borrow items that you use infrequently, so don’t need to privately own: saving you money, space and carbon.

Scroll down to find out more.

  1. How do I borrow an item?
  2. What can you borrow?
  3. What does it cost & how long can I borrow the item for?
  4. Terms & Conditions
  5. Why use a Library of Things?
  6. Other Places to Borrow
How do I borrow an item?
  • Register your details and become a member for as little as £1 a year.
  • Browse our catalogue and reserve the item you would like.
  • There is a suggested weekly donation for each item. This can be paid in advance online, or you can donate when you collect your item.
  • Collect your item from the hub. If getting to the hub is an issue, please contact us to see if we can find a way to help.
  • Please bring some ID the first time you borrow (either one accredited form of ID (e.g. driving licence/passport) or two documents stating name and address (e.g. utility bill, bank statement etc.)
  • Enjoy using the item, thenclean and return the item on time.
What can you borrow?

The items range from things to help you do DIY, gardening, cooking, crafting, camping, parties and events. And the items will be available for people to use at home or for community projects. Have a look at our online catalogue to see the full range.

We also stock a range of consumable items to be used alongside items in our library. These are sold individually, so you can buy exactly what you need, reducing waste. Current consumables include: badge and magnet making kits, laminating sheets, carpet shampoo, smoke, snow & bubble machine liquid, vacuum bags, sander sheets, blades and staples.

We’re stocking items based on suggestions from Portsmouth residents, and if you have something that you’d like to donate to add to the library, you can find out more about what we’re looking for here.

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What does it cost & how long can I borrow the item for?

Annual membership starts from £1 and items will have suggested donation starting at £1/week.

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Terms & Conditions

When you sign up to become a member of Portsmouth Library of Things you’ll be asked to read and agree to the following:

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Why use a Library of Things?

There are many benefits to borrowing rather than buying:

  • save money – three quarters of household items are used less than once a month, so by borrowing rather than buying, we’re saving when it comes to the initial cost, storing, repairing and disposing. Sharing the costs across our community, saves money,
  • save space – we don’t all have the space to store items that we infrequently use, whether that’s personally or as community groups, so being able to borrow these items as required, is a great way to save on space,
  • save carbon – we’re all aware that we need to save carbon and reducing what we consume is a great way to do that. Many objects require vast amounts of raw materials and carbon before they even start getting used, so sharing, repairing and using pre-loved items are all great ways to reduce consumption and carbon.

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Other Places to Borrow

Libraries of things are starting to emerge in communities across the country and we will add links to other local options as they develop. There is also the amazing Connors Toy Library in Portsmouth, see their link below.

There are many hire companies in the city that offer vehicles, tools, dresses and more. We’re hoping to build an online directory to list them all soon.

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