Libraries vs. Landfills
San Francisco Public Library
Innovation Synopsis
SFPL deepened its environmental focus with a series of programs to keep useable items out of landfills. In partnership with San Francisco’s Department of Environment, the library launched FixIt Clinics with a focus on bike and clothing repair. Attendees learned how to fix up their items and how to take their repair ambitions one step further.
Challenge/Opportunity
San Franciscans send 4,500 pounds of textiles to the landfill every hour, and only 16% of residents describe themselves as “frequent cyclists.” To raise awareness and reach for achievable impacts, the library worked with Department of Environment, a longtime collaborator on environmental education. Starting with a clothing swap for teens and moving to multiple full-fledged fix-it clinics, this joint effort has paired assistance with education for hundreds of people so far, pushing toward a greener future.
Key Elements of Innovation
Two main partners, the Library and Department of Environment, worked with Bike Mobile (a bike repair nonprofit) and SCRAP (a local creative re-use nonprofit) to bring specialized skills, materials and hand’s on help.
Branch libraries were selected with equity in mind, prioritizing least-served neighborhoods of the city and geographic diversity.
Library staff distributed a booklist of repair resources for a variety of devices, tying the events to the library catalog and empowering attendees to continue their journey.
Achieved Outcomes
Started in 2022, to date SFPL has hosted four fix it clinics with more to come.
People learned about free resources and how they can repair their own items.
So far, 98 bikes have been repaired and 70 items of clothing fixed (and counting!) At least one patron tied his first knot in a piece of thread. People are eager to learn, proud to be part of the re-use community, inspired to make a difference to divert items from landfills, and excited to make an effort to combat climate change.
