Advice for Mutual Aid Groups Starting Tool Libraries

On October 21, 2025 Shareable and the Tool Library Alliance hosted a crossover event of the Mutual Aid 101 Learning Series and Library of Things Co-Lab for "Tool Libraries, Mutual Aid & Community-Led Disaster Response."

A panel of practitioners from tool libraries and mutual aid groups discussed the intersection of resource sharing and mutual aid. This session featured a particular focus on the role tool libraries can play during disasters, like last year's collaboration between the Asheville Tool Library, WNC Repair Cafe, and Mutual Aid Disaster Relief during the response to Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina. Today's episode is an edited recording of the inspiring event.

Rachel Kinbar (they/zey/all) is actively engaged in building a new commons while exploring what it means to be human, heal lineage, and honor ancestors. Zey are working for collective liberation as a local community and mutual aid organizer with Central Florida Mutual Aid, Alternative Economy Fellow with the Center for Biological Diversity and Shareable, director of operations for Beautiful Trouble (and until recently as director of operations for the Jews of Color Mishpacha Project). They are also a writer, gardener, artist, half of noise/poetry duo Unfade, and co-editor of Bonk! magazine.

Shelby Treichler is a volunteer with Asheville Tool Library and the Western North Carolina Repair Café.

Ben Wyatt has been a volunteer and organizer with Mutual Aid Disaster Relief since 2017. He was part of the initial crew that set up the MADR Smith Mill Works hub (sharing space with the Asheville Tool Library) immediately after Helene that has been operating ever since to receive and deliver household necessities, building materials, first aid and cleanup supplies to direct distribution sites throughout the region. Ben works full time as the Project Manager for the Asheville Coalition for Home Repair (ARCHR) as an employee of Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity.

• Video recording of "Mutual Aid 101: Tool Libraries, Mutual Aid & Community-Led Disaster Response"
• Next Mutual Aid 101 event, "Navigating Conflict" with Dean Spade on 11/20 at 3:00 PM ET
• Tool Library Alliance Winter Weatherization Session on Wednesday, December 10 at 1:00 PM ET
• Central Florida Mutual Aid
• Central Florida Mutual Aid link tree
• Central Florida Mutual Aid Tool Library link tree
• Asheville Tool Library
• WNC Repair Cafe
• Meshtastic.org
• Mutual Aid Disaster Relief
• Mutual Aid Disaster Relief Smith Millworks Distrobution Hub "Hub Guide"
• Shareable's Library of Things Toolkit
• Shareable's Mutual Aid 101 Toolkit
• The Response podcast: Fighting misinformation in the aftermath of the Mexico City earthquake
• Link document shared with participants

• Hosted and executive produced by Tom Llewellyn
• Produced and edited by Paige Kelly
• Theme Music by Cultivate Beats