Covid-19 Update
After a long closure due to Covid-19 we’re delighted to be reopening!
However, to keep everyone safe and do our part in helping to prevent the spread of this illness we do need to make some changes to how we operate.
In order to keep our team and our members safe all tools will now be quarantined for 72 hours each time they are returned and our team will be following strict procedures for handling of tools to minimise the risk of virus transmission from contact with the tools.
NEW OPENING HOURS
Belfast Tool Library will reopen for lending on Saturday 11th July 2020. We’ll be open for collection and return of tools twice per week:
Tuesdays 6pm – 9pm
Saturdays 10am – 1pm
ACCESSING BTL
Whether collecting or returning tools, BTL can now only be accessed through our dedicated entrance at the back of Vault Artist Studios. Access will no longer be possible through the main front entrance of Vault Artist Studios.
You can find our dedicated entrance via Westbourne Street. Look out for the Belfast Tool Library logo beside the back gate to Vault Artist Studios and then continue around the back of the building where you’ll see our BTL logo beside our door.
Parking spaces will be clearly marked. Unless you are collecting or returning heavy items please use the spaces closest to the gate as there is limited turning space closer to our door.
Access to the library will be on a one in one out basis, and a queuing area will be marked out with distance markers.
BORROWING AND RETURNING TOOLS
To help us manage the number of people coming to the library while we’re open and to allow us to quarantine tools for 72 hours on their return you’ll now need to reserve the tools you wish to borrow. Each member can reserve up to 6 tools and a maximum of 20 members will be able to reserve tools on each day that we’re open.
Please do not come to the library unless you have reserved the tools you wish to borrow, as we will be unable to lend to you. Please see below for details on how to make a reservation.
In order to allow our reservation system to work and to help make sure all of our members get the opportunity to access our tools all loans will be for 7 days and it will not be possible to renew items that you have on loan. Please do not reserve and borrow tools if you know that you won’t be able to return them 7 days later.
In order to ensure that all of our members can have access to our more popular tools, please wait 7 days after returning a tool before reserving the same item. We’ll be keeping an eye on reservations to ensure that the system is being used fairly and we may cancel reservations if necessary.
If you’re unsure what tool you need for a job we’ll still be able to help with that. Drop us an email at belfast.tool.library@gmail.com or call us during our opening hours on 07311923327 and we’ll be happy to advise you. You can also contact us as above if you’re having any issues with the online reservation system.
We will also now need to charge late return fees of £2 per tool per missed return date. Late return fees will need to be paid by debit or credit card as we will be unable to handle cash.
To help us to minimise the amount of handling of tools that our team needs to do we ask that all items borrowed are returned clean. We’ll also provide a location for our members to wipe down tool handles and to sanitise their hands when they collect or return tools
We hope this information will help to make these changes clear, but if you do have any questions you can contact us by email or phone any time during the hours that we’re open.
IMPORTANT NOTES
- Only 20 reservations slots will be available during each day that we’re open
-We recommend reserving items a few days in advance of each lending session)
-Only 6 items can be taken out per member (if you need more, give us a call)