2014 annual report
DESCRIPTION
This report will give you a snapshop of the cost associated with running the Tool Library, an overview of a successful year of programming and partnerships, and projects that are in the works.TRANSCRIPT
LIBRARY
UNIVERSITYHEIGHTS
2014 ANNUAL REPORTThe Tool Library’s mission is to facilitate self-reliance, civic engagement, and grassroots reinvestment in neighborhoods by empowering residents to affect the positive change they want to see.
The Tool Library accomplished this through a number of ways, which include loaning tools out to individuals as well as partnering with community organizations on large-scale community development projects.
This report will give you a snapshop into the cost associated with running the Tool Library, an overview of a successful year of programming and partnerships, and projects that are in the works.
Expenses
Membership
Transactions
Revenue
68%
15%
11%
6%
$17,642Rent
Administrative
Tools & Supplies
Utilities
University District Council O�ce
Funding
Earned Revenue
$15,000
$2,642
• Membership fees• Late fees
$$
May
201
3
Jun
2013
Jul 2
013
Aug
201
3
Sep
2013
Oct
201
3
Nov
201
3
Dec
201
3
Jan
2014
Feb
2014
Mar
201
4
Apr
201
4
May
201
4
Jun
2014
Jul 2
014
198
348
43%
42%
15%
Homeowner
Renter
Other
Membership has steadily increased over the past year
from 198 members to 348 members, averaging about
9 members each month. Sign-ups are greatest
during spring and summer months due in part to
cleanups, service learning activities, and neighborhood
beautification and community garden projects.
Transactions at the Tool Library have steadily increased as well.
Although the greatest number of tools are taken out during warmer months, the average
number of tools has increased XX% over the past year. Large spikes, where over a hundred
tools can go out the door in a day, as due to large scale
community projects.
The Tool Library receives a majority of its funding
through the City of Buffalo’s CDBG funding, as dispersed
by the University District Councilmember’s Office.
Since the Tool Library introduced an online,
interactive database of its tool inventory, revenues
have increased both from memberships and late fees.
Moving to an online inventory has helped streamline operations for both members and volunteers at the Tool Library. Members now receive automatic emails receipts and reminders about tools as well as annual
renewal notices. Revenue from late fees, tool tracking, & tool retention have all greatly increased with the new system.
138
69 70 7947 55 48
33 4430
57
96
140 129166
204
May
201
3
Jun
2013
Jul 2
013
Aug
201
3
Sept
201
3
Oct
201
3
Nov
201
3
Dec
201
3
Jan
2014
Feb
2014
Mar
201
4
Apr
201
4
May
201
4
Jun
2014
Jul 2
014
Aug
201
4
BUFFALO TRAX GRAFFITI
Using a $2,500 grant from Keep America Beautiful, the University Heights Tool Library partnered with University at Buffalo Honors College students to develop a comprehensive anti-graffiti program for The Heights.
Using a smartphone app to “tag” instances of graffiti with a short description and photo on a publicly accessible Google Map, the students then organized a community cleanup day to remove the graffiti.
The University Heights Collaborative, through a partnership with Grassroots Gardens of Buffalo, has transformed a vacant, garbage-strewn lot into a community garden at 73 Tyler Street. The garden currently features six raised beds, a handful of fruit trees, and community flower beds.
Several area churches as well as residents and students adopt and maintain beds. The garden has played host to numerous community events as well as square foot and vertical gardening workshops.
Through an anti-graffiti grant from Keep America Beautiful the University Heights Tool Library partnered with Community Canvases to use art as an abatement to graffiti. Artists used the side of vandalized buildings as canvases for public art throughout the University Heights neighborhood.
A YEAR IN PROJECTS
UPTOWN THEATRECLEANUP
UPTOWN THEATREINTERNAL DEMO
UB GETTIN’DIRTY
WILDROOT CLEANUP/BOARD UP
GRAFFITI REMOVAL DAY
UB STUDENTS CLEAN UPLINEAR PARK
TOOL LIBRARYMEMBER RENOVATES$1 HOME
UB GETTIN’ DIRTY
LINEAR PARK CLEANUP
COMMUNITY GARDEN
PUBLIC ART
MAY JUNE JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH APRIL MAY JUNE JULY
SQUAREFOOT GARDENINGWORKSHOP
LIGHT THEHEIGHTS
RETREE THE DISTRICTThrough an anti-graffiti grant from Keep America Beautiful
the University Heights Tool Library partnered with Community Canvases to use art as an abatement to graffiti. Artists used the side of vandalized buildings as canvases for public art throughout the University Heights neighborhood.
The Light the Heights initiative facilitates the reuse of donated lights and decorations to help decorate storefronts along Main Street in the University Heights. This prevents these items from ending up in a landfill, while also building community among residents and business owners.
A group of University District community stakeholders are coming together around ReTree the District, a project aiming to plant 1,000 trees across the University District over the next two years.
ReTree the District will use an interactive community mapping component that will allow students and residents to collaboratively map the district’s existing tree canopy. The project will help foster collaboration and cooperation across the many neighborhoods that make up the University District.
A YEAR IN PROJECTS
TOOL LIBRARYMEMBER RENOVATES$1 HOME
UB GETTIN’ DIRTY
LINEAR PARK CLEANUP
RETREE STAKEHOLDERSMEETING
UB COMMUNITY DAY
COMMUNITY FLOWER BEDS
SOUTH PARK AVENUE TREE MAINTENANCE
TOOLRAISER IN PARTNERSHIPWITH KEEP WNY BEAUTIFUL
FRUIT BELT CLEAN-A-THON
COMMUNITY SPACEREHAB PROJECT
PUBLIC ART
MAY JUNE JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH APRIL MAY JUNE JULY
MLK DAY OF SERVICE
UB COMMUNITY DAY
TREE MAPPING VIA MOBILE TECH
NOVEMEBER
01
BAILEY FIGHTS BLIGHT
RETREE THE DISTRICT
CITY OF LIGHT
OCTOBER
04
DECEMBER
06City of Light is a collaborative project between the University Heights Collaborative and B-Team Buffalo. As B-Team’s signature annual event, City of Light focuses on building community by lighting and decorating homes for the holidays as well as hosting a winter carnival and community dinner.
A group of University District community stakeholders are coming together around ReTree the District, a project that uses mobile phones to map the District’s tree canopy and plant
1,000 trees where gaps existacross the University District over the next two years.
Bailey Fights Blight is a collaborative project being spearheaded by the Bailey Avenue Business Association that seeks to board up and secure blighted and vacant storefronts along Bailey Avenue, while incorporating public art as a way to beautify the neighborhood and help redevelop the commercial corridor’s identity and sense of place.
MAPPING BLIGHTCLEANING GRAFFITISECURING AND BOARDING BUILDINGSPAINTING
HAVE A TREE PLANTEDLEAD A TEAMVOLUNTEER TO PLANMONITORING & STEWARDSHIP
DECORATINGRUNNING CARNIVAL PREPARING DINNERGIFT GIVING
University Heights Tool Library | 5 W. Northrup Place, Buffalo, NY 14214 | www.thetoollibrary.org | [email protected] | 716-510-1745