KWLOT: NEIGHBOURS WORKING TOGETHER

When people think of a library, they largely think of books. But the KW Library of Things (KWLoT), offers tents, sewing machines, mitre saws and more.  

Launched as a partnership with Extend-a-Family Waterloo Region (EAFWR) in 2018 by Wilfrid Laurier University graduate student Devon Fernandes, KWLoT’s catalogue has grown from 350 items to over 1,000 available to its 350 members. 

KWLoT has four membership tiers that offer different options for the number of items that can be checked out and the length of the loan. Annual memberships range from $50 for the base to $500 for the community builder membership, which covers the cost of three base memberships for other community members. 

The library was started as a school project by Fernandes, a community psychology student at Laurier working under Felix Munger in the psychology department. Fernandes was researching other community-based lending libraries and was searching for a host partner when they approached the team at EAFWR. 

EAFWR supports individuals with disabilities and others who face barriers by fostering connection and inclusion throughout the community. Al Mills, executive director at EAFWR, said the organization was a willing partner for the program. 

Mills said the program serves three purposes for the organization; promoting a sharing economy, providing paid and volunteer opportunities for people living with disabilities and leading a mission to be environmental stewards by keeping excess waste out of landfills.  

“For many of our members, we’re giving them access to things that they either don’t have the money to afford; they don’t have a space to store it, or maybe they only need it once a year,” Mills said. 

The KWLoT is managed by paid staff and volunteers, many of whom are supported by EAFWR and its programs. 

While the main benefit to members is reducing the need for multiple people to purchase the same items, Kim Sproul, KWLoT program manager, said that is only part of the program’s role in environmental stewardship. KWLoT offers volunteer-led repair clinics and workshops for people in the community who want to extend the life of an item, from electronics to clothing. 

“We have a local beauty of a human being named Murray Zink who works with the University of Waterloo’s UWRepairHub. He started bringing his volunteers, and you don’t just drop off your items. You sit with them as they repair it, and they’ll talk you through it and ask about the item and what it means to you,” she said. 

KWLoT received a grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation in 2025 to hire additional staff as it expands its catalogue and workshops. Mills said the organization is also looking for environmentally motivated partners who can help support their work to reduce waste. 

As the organization enters its eighth year, Mills said they are still guided by their belief that “we’re better off together.” 

“Our goal is to be a community of belonging. KWLoT is a demonstration project of what it can be like when neighbours work together and share what they have,” Mills said. 

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