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Library of Things consultation

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This consultation has now closed.

Have your say on bringing an exciting new community asset to Barnet that could save you money and help to save the planet – a Library of Things
As part of Barnet’s ambition to be a net zero borough by 2042, the council is considering introducing a Library of Things to East Finchley.

A Library of Things is just like a normal library except instead of books you can borrow things like lawnmowers, carpet cleaners, air fryers and games consoles – for a small daily fee.

Many people don’t need or want to own these items, but may wish to

Have your say on bringing an exciting new community asset to Barnet that could save you money and help to save the planet – a Library of Things
As part of Barnet’s ambition to be a net zero borough by 2042, the council is considering introducing a Library of Things to East Finchley.

A Library of Things is just like a normal library except instead of books you can borrow things like lawnmowers, carpet cleaners, air fryers and games consoles – for a small daily fee.

Many people don’t need or want to own these items, but may wish to use them every so often. They can also take up space and be bad for the environment. Using a Library of Things can help reduce the amount that people own themselves, save some money and encourage sharing instead.

We have an opportunity to use a community space that has become available for our first Library of Things in Barnet - Tarling Road Community Hub in East Finchley.


Your views are important to us

We want to hear everyone's feedback, in particular we would like to hear from residents across Barnet, as well as from those who work, visit or study in the borough.

We want to know what you think of having a Library of Things in Barnet and how much and why you might use it. We would also like to know if you support our proposal to open our first Library of Things in Tarling Road Community Hub in East Finchley.


Have your say

Please complete our short questionnaire to share your views. It should take less than five minutes.

If you would like to request a paper questionnaire or another format, please:

  • email oliver.pinch@barnet.gov.uk
  • telephone 020 8359 2542
  • write to us at Library of things Consultation, Oliver Pinch, London Borough of Barnet, 2 Bristol Avenue, Colindale, London, NW9 4EW.

If you would like someone to help you complete the questionnaire, or need more information, please contact us using one of the above methods.


What happens after the consultation closes?

The council will use the consultation findings to inform our final decision. We will publish the results of the consultation, our decision and how we are acting on the results of the consultation on this web page in December 2023.

This consultation has now closed.

  • We asked, you said, we did

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    We asked

    As part of Barnet’s ambition to be a net zero borough by 2042, we asked for your views on introducing a Library of Things to East Finchley. A Library of Things is just like a normal library except instead of books you can borrow things like lawnmowers, carpet cleaners, air fryers and games consoles – for a small daily fee.


    You said

    A total of 372 questionnaires were completed. Most responses were from residents, and approval for a Library of Things (LoT) was overwhelmingly positive: 365 out of 372 (98%) selected that they would borrow at least one item. Out of the seven who would not use it, four said they didn’t need the items available, and three would buy them directly.

    From a selected of all LoT items, the top five most popular that people would like to borrow were carpet cleaner (288), pressure washer (239), gazebo (180), extendable Ladder (171) and hedge trimmer (148). 38% said they would use a LoT every two to three months. 20% said monthly and 19% every four to six months. 13% said as and when needed.

    Respondents are mobile and happy to travel short distances. A LoT doesn’t have to be on their doorstep but must be accessible from a car as well as walking and cycling. Almost 50% would be happy to drive up to 5 miles to get to a LoT. Over 40% would prefer only to walk or cycle.

    Tarling Road Community Hub in East Finchley is an option for the first LoT location. Although not an ideal location, comments are mostly positive and identify the strengths of that site. 62% of respondents strongly agreed or agreed that this was a good location. Based on comments many respondents live near to Tarling Road Community Hub or felt that the location was highly accessible by car or bicycle. Only 9% disagreed that it was a good location and felt that it was out of the way, and not near a town centre. Other popular locations mentioned were Colindale, Edgware, Finchley Central, High Barnet and North Finchley.

    You can read more information in the full consultation report.

    We did

    We have listened to feedback and will work to bring a Library of Things to the borough.

    Although not a site under consideration when the consultation opened, Barnet Council will first pursue Edgware as a priority site. The site (a vacant Argos Unit on the high street), managed by partners TfL and Ballymore, is in a better location with higher footfall and greater public transport accessibility. A library of Things will initially be installed and run for approximately three years (in lieu of the site’s long-term reconstruction as part of proposals for Edgware’s regeneration).

    This will help to test the usage of a Library of Things in Barnet and will also benefit Edgware adding a new amenity to the town centre that could become permanent. The Library of Thing’s performance will be monitored, and the council will revisit the Tarling Road Community Hub site pending the Edgware site’s success.