If anyone has some thoughts/ideas about the Oakland Tool Lending Library, especially in
regards to the possibilities for an attached community center/maker space - let me know.
sent from
eddan.com
From: "jon eldan" <eldanj(a)yahoo.com>
Date: September 26, 2013, 9:33:12 AM PDT
To: Eddan Katz <eddan(a)eddan.com>
Subject: Planning for the Future of the Oakland Tool Lending Library
Reply-To: jon eldan <eldanj(a)yahoo.com>
Eddan,
As I mentioned on our call yesterday, the library administrator and the office of At
Large City Council Member Rebecca Kaplan have agreed to work with the Friends of the Tool
Lending Library toward making a budget request from the City Council in January for a
one-time expenditure to fund the expansion, or expansion and relocation, of the Tool
Lending Library (TLL), in order to resolve the long-standing space, access and capacity
issues with the TLL.
To do that, we will need a concrete proposal (with budget numbers) that (1) addresses the
current and future needs of the TLL (and possibly a community classroom/work space), and
(2) identifies a specific City building (assuming a move) and the work necessary to make
it ready to house the TLL.
I along with some other members of the Friends of the Tool Lending Library are taking the
lead on drafting a report that identifies the TLL's current and future needs and
priorities, gathers community input, and makes a strong case for why we need to increase
access and capacity.
The library administration will work with the City's Real Estate Department to
identify a space based on the criteria we have provided previously (1200-1500 square feet
at ground level for easy access, with parking and reasonably close to a freeway and
transit lines), and determine the cost of readying that space.
One of the ways we could increase the value of this resource without necessarily
increasing initial or ongoing costs to the City would be to relocate to a space large
enough to accommodate an expanded TLL (1200-1500 square feet), and also a complimentary
space that could house a community classroom and/or a community work space/maker space.
My thinking is that the latter operation might be run by a non-profit organization, rather
than the City (which presumably does not have the resources to take on and manage a work
space).
I note that I have discussed this last idea - a work space/maker space - in a City-owned
building - only casually with city officials and the library administration. While it
always elicits a positive reaction, we have not sought nor received any official approval
or interest.
...