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So why is the tool library movement so strong in Canada? I think it comes down to two features of our national personality.

First, Canadians are a surprisingly hands-on bunch. I know from almost three decades of working with amateur Canadian woodworkers that we have some of the highest levels of woodworking skill and DIY home renovation know-how anywhere on the planet.

The second reason is that we like to share. We’re a highly cooperative bunch, with greater enthusiasm to accomplish things for the common good than you’ll find in many other places.

But handiness and friendliness will only take you so far. The actual development of tool libraries ultimately comes down to a handful of champions — individuals willing to invest time, sweat and hope to make something that benefits more than just themselves. And two of the most inspiring social champions are behind the fledgling Ottawa Tool Library.

Inspired by the success of tool libraries in Toronto, Vancouver, Halifax and other places, Bettina Vollmerhausen and Donna Henhoeffer offer a combination of personal qualities that I don’t see come together very often in any one person. It’s even more rare to find two people like this working together on the same project.

These ladies certainly love tools, but more than that they’ve also got energy, vision, stamina and the ability to schmooze effectively. They’ll need all these virtues, too, since the task of establishing a tool library is a big challenge.