Please reach us at office@mundeleintoollibrary.org if you cannot find an answer to your question.
It’s simple. We pool and share resources to reduce our environmental footprint and save money that can be reinvested in our homes, businesses, and neighborhoods. Our slogan? Caring through sharing. Our core program is managing a large inventory of tools that members can use for all their home improvement, DIY, lawn & garden projects. To participate, all you have to do is join as a member by creating an online account (either at home or in person at the Tool Library), agree to our online Membership Agreement and pay our $50 annual membership fee. :
Yep. It is that simple.
As a member, you can check out tools for one week; some renewals are allowed.
Who We Are: The Tool Library of Lake County is an Illinois not-for-profit corporation. We’re a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) charity and are registered with the Charitable Trust Bureau of the Illinois Attorney General’s Office. Our EIN is 86-2866646. We have no employees and are staffed entirely by our dedicated, wonderful volunteers. We are not a retail or rental service; we are a charitable community resource that relies on your participation. We have a Board of Directors that manages the tool library, oversees our volunteers and our finances, and plans for our future..
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· Where We Are: We have one location at 309 N. Seymour Ave. in Mundelein, Illinois.
· Our Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 4 to 7; Saturdays 9:30 to 3:30.
· How to Contact Us: Please stop in during open hours, give us a call at 224.475.0435, or send us a note to office@toollib.org. If you call or email during off hours, we should get back to you within a few days.
If you’re joining in person during open hours, we’ll walk you through the process. It only takes a minute or two. If you’re joining online, create an account at this link. You’ll need to create a use name and password and enter your contact information. (Don’t worry – we don’t sell or distribute your e-mail address, phone number or street address to third-parties!) You can pay your membership fee online.
Memberships are for one year from the date they are activated. We do not have partial or short-term memberships; we aim to be available for the projects you have planned and those that pop up!
Members pay an annual $50 membership fee. Some items that require high or frequent maintenance also have a $10 or $5 inventory maintenance fee payable at the time of checkout. Also, for items with two-stroke engines, we require that you use our fuel mixture for a $3 or $6 fee (depending on how much fuel you need).
Yes! When you create your online account, enter the name and contact information of a secondary member who lives with you so that person can use your account.
We’re glad you asked! Our volunteers host a Repair Clinic on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. If you’re a member and have something that’s broken, bring it in. Maybe our highly experienced volunteers can fix it for you – for free!
Yes, and thank you! If you’d like to donate something, please bring it in or send us a picture of the item by e-mail. We’ll take it if we can use it. Your donation is tax-deductible and we’ll give you a donation receipt if you want one.
Yes, and thank you! If you’d like to donate something, please bring it in or email us a picture of the item to office@mundeleintoollibrary.org. We’ll take it if we can use it. Your donation is tax-deductible and we’ll give you a donation receipt if you want one.
You can borrow up to seven items checked out at one time, You can renew a loan (see details below).
Loans are for one week. You can renew a loan up to three times as long as there is no conflicting reservation/request for use by another member. A few items have limited loan periods or renewals due to seasonality and high demand.
Renew your loan by giving us a call at 224.475.0435, sending us an e-mail to office@toollib.org, or stopping in during open hours at 309 N. Seymour Ave., Mundelein.
No, you cannot renew a loan online.
Yes! Click the "Inventory" link at the top of our website and enter your keywords in the search field. If you do not see what you are looking for, you may want to use broader search criteria - with over 1,600 items, we likely have what you need. If you have done a cursory search and still cannot find what you are looking for - email or call us, and we will be happy to give it another set of eyes.
Yes! Click on the tool to view its availability. Greyed-out dates will reflect closed days and any reservation buffers. If it says "due __/__/__," the tool is checked out and due back on that day. You can also see future reservations.
Yes. If a tool is crucial to your project or in high demand, reserving it is a great idea. Ensure you are logged in to your account, find the tool in our inventory, click the "Reserve" button, and follow the instructions on-screen. If you have reserved a tool with a same-day return by the previous user, please call ahead to confirm its return before coming in to check out the tool. Occasionally, we cannot provide the reserved tool because another member did not return it on time or the tool requires repair. In this situation, we will do our best to provide an alternate solution for your project needs. Please only make reservations for specialty or high-demand tools to ease our check-out process. It is much easier to grab one of our similar tools when you are in the shop without us matching inventory numbers to the particular model on your reservation.
We have all been there. If you return a tool late, after a grace period we charge a late fee of 50¢ per day. We may be able to waive or discount a late fee if you contact us promptly and explain your situation. The key is communication. Accrued and unpaid late fees may prevent you from borrowing additional items from us until the fees are paid.
Tools must be returned to our library during open hours. They must be received on or before their due date and can be returned by anyone - so feel free to ask your friend to be your tool Sherpa if you are headed out of town!
Yes please! While we’re not afraid of some sawdust or dirt, our tools must be returned tidily. Please take the time to wipe, blow, vacuum, or rinse off any debris from your project(s) and re-wrap power cords. Dust collectors and shop vacs should be emptied, and concrete/mudding tools should be cleaned and dried.
We understand that sometimes things happen, and our tools can get quite the workout; however, they should be returned in roughly the same condition they were checked out. If an item is returned in irreparable condition through apparent neglect or improper usage, you will be asked to pay the replacement cost of the tool. If damaged through what appears to be the regular use of the tool, a determination for repair/replacement options will be made - and you will be asked to contribute a portion of that cost. A small fee will be assessed if items are returned dirty or worn beyond a reasonable expectation.
If you are unsure how to use a particular tool, please ask our Tool Advisors for a quick tutorial. Some tools require a brief safety or set-up tutorial and/or a special waiver (like chainsaws), but most include general safety reminders.
Yes please! We hope to allow small business owners to grow their businesses, take on more clients, and perhaps even create more jobs for the community. We hold businesses/organizations to the same standards as those checking out tools for personal use.
No. Part of what separates us from a traditional rental business is that we do not charge usage fees. Think of us as an all-you-can-eat buffet - as a member, you can borrow as much as you would like throughout the year and are encouraged to keep coming back for more until your project docket is full! A few select items have a $5 or $10 maintenance fee associated with their use due to heavy maintenance and repair costs, like chainsaws.
Please reach us at office@mundeleintoollibrary.org if you cannot find an answer to your question.
Like any nonprofit, we rely on monetary donations to bolster our budget and provide our services. You can help by making a gift through our donation link, hosting a fundraiser on Facebook, participating in our annual fundraising events, and/or contributing through workplace giving, donor-advised funds, or planned giving.
We are always grateful for services and items that help us to further our mission and keep our expenses low while adding value for our members. We love to reclaim and reuse items, and though we would love to accept everything that comes our way, we need to be selective and balance member needs, current inventory, and space.
Our basic acceptance criteria are:
● Items are in working order and include all necessary parts/accessories.
● Battery-operated tools must include both a battery and charger and need to hold a charge.
● Power tools are generally of a modern vintage (for safety and maintenance reasons).
● Items are (reasonably) clean and free of excessive rust.
● Hand, Battery-Operated, and Corded Electric tools are Preferred. No Gas-Powered Items unless pre-approved.
● No loose hardware or mystery boxes of parts/consumables.
● No Lumber donations
Naturally, there are some exceptions to the list above, as high-quality tools needing a simple repair or heritage/heirloom tools can be valuable to our membership. When in doubt, or if you plan on donating several items, please bring in photos. It helps us immensely to know the age, brand, and quality of tools before they are on our doorstep and to ensure we can process your donation. Usually, the simplest thing is to take a video or snap several photos of the items you wish to donate (or the entire tool collection). Please include brands, manufacturers' identification labels, model numbers, and any condition notes when possible, which can help our volunteers process your gift.
We keep a running wish list of specific tools and supplies. However, we are generally most interested in electric power tools (air compressors, nailers, drills, pressure washers, tillers, etc.) and professional-grade equipment. We also happily accept most types of hand tools in good condition, as well as items like party tents, upholstery cleaners, crafting tools, and basic office/cleaning supplies.
Our Top List:
Donations may be brought to the library during open hours or by appointment. Our address, hours, etc., are listed in the footer of each page. If your donation is large enough, we may be able to find volunteers to help pick it up/transport it. If help is needed unloading, please let us know in advance so we can plan on having some extra hands available.
While we make every attempt to maintain and keep tools in service, occasionally, our inventory is overloaded, or an item is at the end of its lifecycle. Items may be sold to help cover operating costs, bartered for priority inventory additions, properly recycled or up-cycled (if in disrepair), or donated to another nonprofit organization; therefore, please be aware that while we appreciate (and survive on) donations, your specific tool may not be kept in our inventory indefinitely.
Our space is limited, so we often cannot accept remnant lumber or hardware donations.
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