Tool Library of Lake County

What Tool Library of Lake County does

Tool Library of Lake County is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating a single-location tool lending library at 309 N Seymour Ave, Mundelein, Illinois. The organization maintains an inventory of 2,947+ tools across categories including carpentry (628+), automotive (245+), electrical (259+), drywall (207+), plumbing, ladders and access, outdoor and garden, measuring, and PPE, and makes these available to members primarily for one-week loans. It serves DIY homeowners and community learners in Lake County, Illinois, with a member spotlight illustrating a complete bathroom renovation completed using only borrowed tools at over $1,000 in savings versus purchasing equipment.

The core operational stack is built on the external MyTurn platform, which handles inventory browsing, member account creation, reservations, and check-out flow; the organization's own website is not currently connected to live inventory pending MyTurn feature releases. A web-based AI-powered Project Assistant branded 'Tinker' accepts natural-language project descriptions (e.g., 'replace a p-trap', 'tile a bathroom floor', 'refinish a deck') and returns curated tool lists with step-by-step guidance before directing users to MyTurn. Auxiliary services include bi-weekly free Repair Clinics (held 2nd and 4th Wednesdays, 3-6pm), Home & Auto Maintenance classes delivered in partnership with the College of Lake County, and a Tool Sale of donated gently used goods. Integrations include Square for donation processing, Google Calendar (iCal feed) for event scheduling, and SignUp.com for volunteer management.

The business model combines a $50/year tax-deductible subscription membership with transaction revenue from tool sales and tiered donations ($25 safety gear, $50 sponsored membership, $100 tool repair, $250 specialty tool, $500+ Repair Clinic semester). The organization is 100% volunteer-run with no paid staff, operates with no disclosed parent company, outside investors, or funding rounds, and generates revenue solely for mission support. Distribution is digital-first self-serve through MyTurn with physical pickup and return at the Mundelein location during posted open hours; marketing relies on community events, email newsletters, Repair Clinics, and the AI Project Assistant rather than paid acquisition.

Name

Tool Library of Lake County

Legal name

Tool Library of Lake County

Website

https://toollib.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Tool Library of Lake County is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit tool lending library in Mundelein, Illinois. It lends 2,947+ tools to DIY homeowners and community learners for a $50 annual membership, adding repair clinics, classes, and an AI project advisor.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tool Lending Library Services

NAICS

Libraries and Archives (51921), Libraries and Archives (519210)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Libraries, Archives & Special Collections (BPAGAHAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Library Collections & Cataloging Services (Acquisitions, Metadata, Circulation) (EDAEAGAE), Library User Services & Information Support (Reference, Research Help, Instruction Support) (EDAEAGAL), Library-Based Learning Programs (Public Libraries) (EDAAAFAA)

Keywords

• Tool lending library
• Community tool sharing
• Nonprofit membership programs
• DIY home repair services
• Community repair workshops

Headquarters

HQ city

Mundelein

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Annual Membership Fees: Members pay $50 per year for access to the full tool inventory. Membership is tax-deductible as the organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Most tools check out for one week.
2. Tool Sales: Sale of gently used tools donated by community members. Categories include power tools, hand tools, lawn & garden, plumbing, painting, automotive, storage, and other items. Proceeds directly support the organization's mission.
3. Donations: Tax-deductible donations at various levels: $25 for safety gear, $50 to fund a membership for someone who cannot afford it, $100 for tool repairs, $250 for specialty tools, $500+ for Repair Clinic semesters.
4. Free Repair Clinic (Members Only): Free repair help from Tool Advisors at bi-weekly Repair Clinics. Members participate hands-on with guidance, observe, or drop off items. The library charges only for parts if needed.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Tool Library of Lake County operates a nonprofit tool lending library that provides members with access to 2,947+ physical tools in exchange for a $50 annual membership fee (tax-deductible). Members browse live inventory and reserve tools via the MyTurn platform, then pick up and return tools at a single Mundelein, IL location. Supporting offerings include an AI-powered Project Assistant (Tinker), free bi-weekly Repair Clinics, Home & Auto Maintenance classes in partnership with the College of Lake County, and sales of donated gently used tools.

Product overview

Tool Library of Lake County operates as a single, unified nonprofit lending service rather than a software platform. The core offering is a tool borrowing membership ($50/year) that provides access to 2,947+ physical tools, with tools browsed and reserved through the external MyTurn platform. The product portfolio includes the core Tool Library Membership, the Tool Borrowing Service itself, the AI-powered Project Assistant (a web-based feature that generates tool recommendations for project descriptions), the Repair Clinic (free repair help events), Tool Sale (gently used tools for purchase), and Home & Auto Maintenance Classes (partnered with College of Lake County). The Project Assistant is the primary digital feature; all tool inventory and checkout flows through MyTurn rather than the organization's own software.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tool Library Membership Annual $50 (tax-deductible) membership that grants access to borrow from 2,947+ quality tools including power tools, lawn equipment, and specialty items. Members complete a brief orientation at the Mundelein, IL location and then reserve tools online via MyTurn for pickup during open hours.
• Tool Borrowing Service Core lending service allowing members to borrow a curated collection of 2,947+ tools across categories such as carpentry (628+), automotive (245+), electrical (259+), drywall (207+), plumbing, ladders and access, outdoor and garden, measuring, and PPE. Tools check out for 1 week; inventory is browsed and reserved through the MyTurn platform.
• Project Assistant (Tinker) AI-powered conversational tool that accepts text descriptions of a project (e.g., replace p-trap, tile bathroom floor, refinish deck) and returns an AI-generated tool list with step-by-step guidance. Directs users to MyTurn to view live inventory and complete checkout.
• Repair Clinic Free repair help events held on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of every month (3-6pm). Members can participate hands-on with guidance from Tool Advisors, observe, or drop off items for repair; members pay only for parts if needed.
• Tool Sale Sale of gently used donated tools spanning power tools, hand tools, lawn and garden, plumbing, painting, automotive, storage, and other categories. Proceeds directly support the Tool Library's mission; pickup only at the library location.
• Home & Auto Maintenance Classes Hands-on classes offered in partnership with the College of Lake County covering finish carpentry, plumbing, bicycle repair, and automotive basics. Classes are held at CLC facilities with course registration handled by CLC; the Tool Library provides tools and expertise.

Quantifiable outcome

• Members save $1,000+ on average compared to purchasing tools individually
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability2 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• College of Lake CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with College of Lake County for hands-on Home & Auto Maintenance classes covering finish carpentry, plumbing, bicycle repair, and automotive basics. The Tool Library provides tools and expertise while CLC provides classroom facilities and course registration.
• MyTurncoreTechnology or IntegrationMyTurn is the library management platform used for tool inventory browsing, member account management, reservations, and check-out. The Tool Library uses MyTurn's cloud-based inventory system for all member-facing tool management. Note: The organization reports that live inventory integration with their website is pending MyTurn feature releases.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• North Atlanta Tool Library: Community-funded tool lending library in Atlanta area. Comparable nonprofit tool lending model serving DIY homeowners and hobbyists with a shared inventory.
• Berkeley Tool Lending Library: City-public-library-operated tool lending program in Berkeley, CA. Directly comparable nonprofit/municipal tool library serving DIY homeowners with a lending inventory and educational programming.
• Toronto Tool Library: Membership-based nonprofit tool lending library in Toronto, Canada. Closely comparable model: annual membership, browseable inventory, Repair Cafés, and workshop programming targeting DIY community members.
• Cleveland Tool Library: Nonprofit lending library in Cleveland offering tools for home repair and improvement. Comparable single-location nonprofit tool library with member-based access to shared inventory.
• ReBuilding Center Tool Library (Portland): Portland-based nonprofit operating a tool library alongside a used building materials retail operation. Comparable community-led tool lending model, with the additional adjacent retail layer that the Lake County Tool Sale resembles.
• Somerville Tool Library: Nonprofit tool lending library in Somerville, MA, operated similarly through membership fees and volunteer support. Comparable membership-based lending model with workshop programming for DIY community.
• Chattanooga Tool Library: Nonprofit tool lending program offering members access to home repair and yard tools. Directly comparable in mission, inventory lending model, and DIY-focused community programming.

Broad incumbents

• Habitat for Humanity ReStores: Large nonprofit home goods resale operation affiliated with Habitat for Humanity. Comparable in the sale-of-donated-tools angle and DIY community engagement, though ReStores are commercial resale rather than lending libraries.
• Home Depot / Lowe's Tool Rental: Big-box home improvement retailers offering paid tool rental services. Comparable in providing short-term access to specialty tools, but commercial/for-profit rather than membership-based lending and serving a different customer experience expectation.

Emerging players

• Maker Space / Hackerspace community orgs: Community-operated makerspaces with shared tool access via membership. Comparable membership-and-shared-tools model, generally more focused on fabrication/maker equipment (3D printers, laser cutters) versus home repair tools.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/mundeleintoollibrary

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tool Library of Lake County