Libraries as Hubs of the Sharing Economy

In addition to borrowing books, DVDs, and CDs, library users can access a wide variety of shared items and spaces. Public libraries are increasingly offering items beyond traditional materials – for instance, the Lippulaiva Library in Espoo lends out an ice cream machine.

Libraries in Turku and Seinäjoki have envisioned the future and piloted electric car lending in 2023 and 2024. In Seinäjoki, library users can borrow a local bus pass, and in Pieksämäki, a variety of sports equipment. Many libraries also offer season passes for local attractions: in Kuopio, for example, patrons can borrow tickets to museums, the city theatre, and orchestra concerts.

Lendable items can support patrons in adopting more sustainable lifestyles. The Karkkila City Library lends out energy consumption meters. Pieksämäki’s library offers a thermal leak detector and materials related to waste management, such as forms and guides.
In addition to loanable materials, libraries can serve as exchange points for their local communities. Some libraries host book recycling spots, and the Porvoo Library operates a self-service exchange station for ornamental and edible plant cuttings – one of the initiatives funded through the city’s participatory budgeting process.

Expanding the range of borrowable items can also be a strategic goal. For example, one objective in the City of Vantaa’s Resource Wisdom Roadmap is to strengthen the library’s role as a pioneer of the sharing economy. In 2022, a designated coordinator was assigned to manage the collection of lendable items, and the budget share allocated to these materials was increased. As a result, the selection has grown significantly: in early 2023, about 40 different items were available to borrow, but by early 2024, the number had grown to 654.

Read more: This case example was originally published in the Best Practices in Environmental Work in Municipal Cultural Services report.