Editor’s Note: Green Briefs is a regular series of commentaries from Vashon’s environmental leaders with useful information to help islanders respond to the climate crisis and heal the earth. The series is coordinated by The Whole Vashon Project.

Libraries are all about lending.

Although libraries owe their Middle Ages origins to lending books (“liber” is Latin for the inner bark of trees, hence parchment), the concept has expanded into diverse resources with many items other than books available to borrow.

On Vashon, we benefit from more than eight libraries which each contribute to our rich sharing economy. All are not-for-profit organizations (a few funded by our property taxes), and nearly all are run by volunteers. These eight libraries are joining together to celebrate National Library Week, April 3 to 10, with a variety of events.

The Vashon Reads Bookmobile is a non-profit providing greater access to literacy and fostering a love of reading for island youth, one book at a time, and independent of the King County Library System. Their inventory of books, for children 0 to 18, is delivered during scheduled visits across the island in the little red bookmobile, a repurposed 1994 Subaru Sambar Fire Truck. Find out more at vashonreads.org.

The Vashon Care Network connects people on the island with supplies and support to live at home independently. Its program, Vashon Care Closet, loans durable medical equipment and provides free hygiene supplies. Equipment and supplies are currently requested by e-mail or phone, but online reservations will be coming soon. The Care Closet is run entirely by enthusiastic volunteers, and located in the two grey barns at the Lutheran Church, on Vashon Highway just south of town. Find out more at vashoncarenetwork.org.

Vashon Events’ Musical Instrument Library provides access to a wide range of musical instruments for Vashon Island residents of all ages. Woodwinds, string instruments, horns, percussion, microphones, amplifiers, public address systems, speakers, mixing boards, and more are available for free for up to three months or a school year. Choose the instrument you would like to try out, check its availability, and reserve it online for no-contact pickup. Find out more at vashonevents.org/music-instrument-library-new.

Vashon Island Growers Association (VIGA) hosts a Growers Resource library at the Village Green as well as a Food Preservation Equipment Library. The Food Preservation Library was funded by a grant from King Conservation District and has poultry processing equipment, two large freeze dryers, dehydrators, miscellaneous canning equipment, vacuum sealers, and an electric grain mill. Find out more at vigavashon.org/food-preservation.

The No Trash Bash Stash (NTBS) has an extensive collection of flatware, cloth napkins, table linen, plates, mugs, and more for your next event. The goal of the NTBS is to reduce single-use waste and lower the cost of renting items for small to large events. NTBS originated through Sustainable Vashon and is currently managed by VIGA. Find out more at tinyurl.com/34caz4zx.

The Vashon Youth and Family Services Family Place Program has a “community closet” with gently used items donated by the community. The closet is filled with lots and lots of clothes and kids supplies, including maternity clothes, baby and children clothes size newborn to 5T, bottles and breastfeeding supplies, infant swaddles, carriers, wraps, diapers, parenting books, and more. ALL is Free for everyone! Delivery can be arranged or items can be picked up. Find out more at vyfs.org/family-place.

The Vashon Tool Library (VTL) offers more than 1,500 tools to our community, including tools for lawn/garden, woodworking, plumbing, electrical, automotive, and home repair. Its inventory is available to browse and reserve online once you become a member, which is by voluntary donation, or free). VTL is a volunteer-run not-for-profit located at Open Space for Arts & Community and is open three days a week. For more information, visit vashontools.org.

And last but not least, KCLS Vashon Library has been an island institution since 1944, now located at the 2014 green-roof building at Ober Park. The library has a diverse collection of books, maps, videos, CDs and other items. Beyond that, it is a community center serving to connect people to information as well as to each other. The library has free computers, printing, faxing and copying, and two quiet study rooms. Many youth, teen and adult programs, and services are offered, and the library also hosts events including the Antique Rockshow. Many programs, such as “Take and Make Kits,” are funded by our amazing Vashon Friends of the Library, from the Annual “Swinging in the Stacks” Miniature Golf and used book sales. For more information, visit kcls.org/locations/vashon.

In our world of excess, sharing benefits the planet in many ways, perhaps most importantly by reducing our material footprint and interconnecting our communities.

— Steve Bergman is a geologist, Zero Waste Vashon and Vashon Makerspace board member and Whole Vashon Project advisor.