About Us

The Asheville Tool Library is a volunteer-powered nonprofit that provides affordable access to tools, equipment, and practical knowledge for people within Asheville and beyond. In addition to tool lending, we offer workshops, repair events, volunteer opportunities, and community resource programs that promote sustainability, skill-sharing, creativity, and economic resilience. We believe everyone deserves access to hands-on learning opportunities, regardless of income. We provide low and no-cost opportunities for community members to learn, create, repair, and build.

Workshops

The Asheville Tool Library offers hands-on workshops that help community members build practical skills, gain confidence using tools, and learn from local makers, tradespeople, artists, and educators. Workshop topics include home repair, woodworking, tool basics, gardening, bike maintenance, upcycling, crafts, sustainability, and other DIY skills. Workshops are designed to be welcoming and accessible to participants with a wide range of experience levels, from complete beginners to seasoned makers.

We strive to keep educational programming affordable and accessible through Equitable Access ticket options. These free or reduced-cost tickets are available to community members experiencing financial barriers and are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. This community-supported model helps make hands-on learning opportunities accessible to a broader range of participants while supporting the long-term sustainability of our educational programming.

Get Involved

We are a volunteer powered organization, and there are many ways to get involved with us! Check out our Volunteer Orientations, where you'll learn about our mission, culture, volunteer opportunities, and how to connect with ongoing projects. Volunteers can support the organization in a variety of ways, including:

Librarian shifts, helping members check tools in and out, organizing inventory, and supporting day-to-day operations.

Tool maintenance, repairing, testing, and maintaining the collection to keep tools safe and ready for use.

Special events and community outreach, including tabling events, fundraisers, donation pickups, and community programs.

Joining a working group, supporting the tool library by becoming a member of a focused offshoot of our organization including tech support, artist space, community garden, fundraising, and more.