WHAT IS THE VTL?
The Vancouver Tool Library (VTL) is a cooperative tool lending library in East Vancouver. We are located at 3448 Commercial Street. We acknowledge that our shop is on unceded Coast Salish Territory, and we’ve been in the neighbourhood since 2011.
The VTL is a collective community resource, run by its members for its members. We are motivated by a vision of our community empowered by the tools and skills needed to live creatively, make art, and transform homes and neighbourhoods into vibrant spaces that reflect a commitment to sustainability. We are dedicated to taking a proactive and responsive approach to managing our organization, and adhering to the values of inclusivity, empowerment, community building, member participation, and sustainability in all that we do. Our space is open to people of all identities, backgrounds, abilities, and skill sets. We pride ourselves in providing the resources and learning opportunities to make tool use accessible to everyone.
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OUR VISION: A co-operative community sharing tools to build a better city.
OUR MISSION: The Vancouver Tool Library exists to break down barriers to accessing tools and empower members to build, repair, create and connect through collectively-owned tools and shared knowledge.
OUR VALUES:
Reconciliation – working to be in right relationship with Indigenous communities, specifically the Musqueam, Squamish and Tseil-Waututh peoples on whose territory the VTL operates, to support truth, reconciliation and justice
Inclusivity – actively working with our community to eliminate barriers to accessing and using tools
Empowerment – creating opportunities to equip our members with skills, knowledge and confidence to use tools
Community – seeking to build and foster collaborative relationships with individuals and organizations with shared commitment to our vision, mission and values
Sustainability – resolving to minimize consumption through shared ownership, repair and maintenance
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Our governance structure
The VTL is a Community Service Co-operative registered under the BC Co-operative Act. Co-ops, as defined by the International Co-operative Alliance, are
autonomous associations of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social, and cultural needs and aspirations through jointly owned and democratically controlled enterprises.
Our choice to build the VTL on a cooperative model is based upon our strong belief in local community ownership. We see this structure as a way to empower and educate our members, as well as tie our organizations’ success to the commitment of its community. As a Community Service Co-op, we are bound to operating under non-profit practices.
As a co-op, the VTL is owned by its members. When you join the VTL as a member, you purchase a co-op share, and this gives you the right to have say in how the organization is run, including having a vote at the annual AGM. Being a member also means you can borrow tools and enjoy various other membership benefits.
The VTL is volunteer driven. A Board of Directors, Volunteers, and Members keep our organization moving forward, in partnership with the occasional hired contractor. We highly encourage members to get involved in the VTL community, and a great way to do so is to become a volunteer or run for a position on the Board of Directors.