nonprofit tool lending library

Chicago Tool Library

Industry Repair

A Chicago 501(c)(3) nonprofit tool lending library where members can borrow thousands of tools, from saws and drills to sewing machines and camping equipment. It scores this way because nonprofit tool lending saves people money and reduces unnecessary ownership of rarely used goods, while governance remains ordinary nonprofit administration.

Why this matters: Chicago Tool Library adds a high-utility West Side repair and sharing-economy resource to the Illinois map.

Letter grade A Good Medium confidence (AI) Rubric gcd-rubric-v1 Last reviewed May 15, 2026

Final Score 52* A - Good

AGOOD52 pts

* Tentative scaffolding score. Not human-checked or final.

Base Material50

Bonus+2

Cap66No structure cap

After Cap52

Penalties0

Small business context

This entry is classified as a small business using observable scale signals: independent control, local or limited operations, and no evidence of public-company or national-chain scale. The small-business calibration keeps the ordinary rubric but reads evidence at person scale: living-wage pricing is not extraction by itself, while worker and contractor treatment, owner surplus, transparency, advertising pressure, dissent tolerance, and recourse matter more. Harm, toxicity, surveillance, labor, coercion, opacity, and hidden-parent penalties are not relaxed.

Applied cap: No structure cap

!Not Verified

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Evaluation Overview

A - Good

The score turns mainly on Ownership; no penalty currently dominates the evaluation.

Strengths

Ownership7/10
Extraction7/10
Solidarity with the Unemployed6/7

Penalties

No penalties applied in this version.

Evidence state

ConfidenceMedium confidence (AI)
ThoroughnessDeveloped (AI)
Linked claims5
Direct axis claims5
Coverage5/10

Scoring Axes

Axis	Score	Why this score
Ownership ? Control rights: shareholder-dominated at 0, worker cooperative control at 10.	7 / 10	Chicago Tool Library publicly identifies itself as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Chicago Tool Library publicly identifies itself as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. This places Chicago Tool Library high on Ownership compared with conventional retail, rental, and disposal models because nonprofit, cooperative, shared-access, or reuse structure reduces extraction and keeps practical value closer to community users. It stays below the strongest democratic examples where the record does not show full worker, member, or public control over the institution. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: WA/OR/IL tool-library and creative-reuse expansion calibrated against existing co-ops, nonprofit repair shops, reuse retailers, credit unions, and conventional retail chains. Linked evidence Chicago Tool Library publicly identifies itself as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. [1] context Chicago Tool Library operates a public tool lending library at 4015 W Carroll Avenue in Chicago. [2] context Chicago Tool Library's core offering is borrowing thousands of tools rather than buying or storing them individually. [3]
Governance ? Binding decision authority: centralized control at 0, democratic stakeholder control at 10.	5 / 10	Chicago Tool Library's core offering is borrowing thousands of tools rather than buying or storing them individually. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: WA/OR/IL tool-library and creative-reuse expansion calibrated against existing co-ops, nonprofit repair shops, reuse retailers, credit unions, and conventional retail chains. Linked evidence context Chicago Tool Library publicly identifies itself as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. [1] context Chicago Tool Library operates a public tool lending library at 4015 W Carroll Avenue in Chicago. [2] context Chicago Tool Library's core offering is borrowing thousands of tools rather than buying or storing them individually. [3]
Extraction ? Surplus allocation, wage share, CEO pay ratio, margins, and structured extraction judgment.	7 / 10	Chicago Tool Library's core offering is borrowing thousands of tools rather than buying or storing them individually. Chicago Tool Library's core offering is borrowing thousands of tools rather than buying or storing them individually. This places Chicago Tool Library high on Extraction compared with conventional retail, rental, and disposal models because nonprofit, cooperative, shared-access, or reuse structure reduces extraction and keeps practical value closer to community users. It stays below the strongest democratic examples where the record does not show full worker, member, or public control over the institution. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: WA/OR/IL tool-library and creative-reuse expansion calibrated against existing co-ops, nonprofit repair shops, reuse retailers, credit unions, and conventional retail chains. Linked evidence context Chicago Tool Library publicly identifies itself as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. [1] context Chicago Tool Library operates a public tool lending library at 4015 W Carroll Avenue in Chicago. [2] context Chicago Tool Library's core offering is borrowing thousands of tools rather than buying or storing them individually. [3]
Labor Sovereignty ? Worker power: coercive conditions at 0, co-determination or ownership at 7. Employee dissatisfaction matters only when source-backed evidence shows concrete limits on worker agency, such as coercive scheduling, retaliation, wage theft, harassment, unsafe conditions, suppression of worker voice, or extreme turnover.	4 / 7	Chicago Tool Library's core offering is borrowing thousands of tools rather than buying or storing them individually. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: WA/OR/IL tool-library and creative-reuse expansion calibrated against existing co-ops, nonprofit repair shops, reuse retailers, credit unions, and conventional retail chains. Linked evidence context Chicago Tool Library publicly identifies itself as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. [1] context Chicago Tool Library operates a public tool lending library at 4015 W Carroll Avenue in Chicago. [2] context Chicago Tool Library's core offering is borrowing thousands of tools rather than buying or storing them individually. [3]
Solidarity with the Unemployed ? Treatment of exits and nonworkers, including severance, redeployment, and non-competes.	6 / 7	Chicago Tool Library describes a broad inventory of tools that members can borrow for repair, making, household, and community projects. Chicago Tool Library describes a broad inventory of tools that members can borrow for repair, making, household, and community projects. This places Chicago Tool Library high on Solidarity with the Unemployed compared with conventional retail, rental, and disposal models because nonprofit, cooperative, shared-access, or reuse structure reduces extraction and keeps practical value closer to community users. It stays below the strongest democratic examples where the record does not show full worker, member, or public control over the institution. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: WA/OR/IL tool-library and creative-reuse expansion calibrated against existing co-ops, nonprofit repair shops, reuse retailers, credit unions, and conventional retail chains. Linked evidence context Chicago Tool Library publicly identifies itself as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. [1] context Chicago Tool Library operates a public tool lending library at 4015 W Carroll Avenue in Chicago. [2] context Chicago Tool Library's core offering is borrowing thousands of tools rather than buying or storing them individually. [3] Chicago Tool Library describes a broad inventory of tools that members can borrow for repair, making, household, and community projects. [4]
Loss-Bearing Fidelity ? Willingness to absorb costs to preserve values, workers, users, and public obligations.	6 / 7	Chicago Tool Library's core offering is borrowing thousands of tools rather than buying or storing them individually. Chicago Tool Library's core offering is borrowing thousands of tools rather than buying or storing them individually. This places Chicago Tool Library high on Loss-Bearing Fidelity compared with conventional retail, rental, and disposal models because nonprofit, cooperative, shared-access, or reuse structure reduces extraction and keeps practical value closer to community users. It stays below the strongest democratic examples where the record does not show full worker, member, or public control over the institution. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: WA/OR/IL tool-library and creative-reuse expansion calibrated against existing co-ops, nonprofit repair shops, reuse retailers, credit unions, and conventional retail chains. Linked evidence context Chicago Tool Library publicly identifies itself as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. [1] context Chicago Tool Library operates a public tool lending library at 4015 W Carroll Avenue in Chicago. [2] context Chicago Tool Library's core offering is borrowing thousands of tools rather than buying or storing them individually. [3]
Market Conduct ? Pricing fairness, switching costs, lock-in, and rent extraction.	5 / 5	Chicago Tool Library operates a public tool lending library at 4015 W Carroll Avenue in Chicago. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: WA/OR/IL tool-library and creative-reuse expansion calibrated against existing co-ops, nonprofit repair shops, reuse retailers, credit unions, and conventional retail chains. Linked evidence context Chicago Tool Library publicly identifies itself as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. [1] Chicago Tool Library operates a public tool lending library at 4015 W Carroll Avenue in Chicago. [2] context Chicago Tool Library's core offering is borrowing thousands of tools rather than buying or storing them individually. [3]
Product Integrity ? Preservation of quality rather than degradation for monetization.	5 / 5	Chicago Tool Library's core offering is borrowing thousands of tools rather than buying or storing them individually. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: WA/OR/IL tool-library and creative-reuse expansion calibrated against existing co-ops, nonprofit repair shops, reuse retailers, credit unions, and conventional retail chains. Linked evidence context Chicago Tool Library publicly identifies itself as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. [1] context Chicago Tool Library operates a public tool lending library at 4015 W Carroll Avenue in Chicago. [2] Chicago Tool Library's core offering is borrowing thousands of tools rather than buying or storing them individually. [3]
Scale Integrity ? Whether growth improves or degrades fairness and accountability.	5 / 5	Chicago Tool Library's core offering is borrowing thousands of tools rather than buying or storing them individually. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: WA/OR/IL tool-library and creative-reuse expansion calibrated against existing co-ops, nonprofit repair shops, reuse retailers, credit unions, and conventional retail chains. Linked evidence context Chicago Tool Library publicly identifies itself as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. [1] context Chicago Tool Library operates a public tool lending library at 4015 W Carroll Avenue in Chicago. [2] context Chicago Tool Library's core offering is borrowing thousands of tools rather than buying or storing them individually. [3]

Penalties

No penalties applied in this version.

Bonus Credits

Bonus	Credit	Why this credit
Good Deal ? Credit for unusually fair value: durable quality, fair pricing, low lock-in, and clear customer surplus.	2 / 3	Chicago Tool Library lets members access tools such as saws, drills, sewing machines, and camping equipment without buying each item. Chicago Tool Library lets members access tools such as saws, drills, sewing machines, and camping equipment without buying each item. This supports a limited Good Deal bonus because users get unusually accessible community value through shared tools, reused materials, member ownership, or nonprofit resale rather than ordinary retail terms. The credit remains partial because the record does not show a universal guarantee across every price, member, or access condition. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: WA/OR/IL tool-library and creative-reuse expansion calibrated against existing co-ops, nonprofit repair shops, reuse retailers, credit unions, and conventional retail chains. Linked evidence Chicago Tool Library lets members access tools such as saws, drills, sewing machines, and camping equipment without buying each item. [5]

Confidence Basis

Confidence is computed from the evidence trail and review state, not typed into the profile by hand.

Medium 73/100

5 verified linked claims 5 direct axis claims 0 disputed claims 5/10 components covered

This confidence label measures the source-backed evidence trail. AI-scaffolded scores remain tentative until human review.

Claim confidence 20/20

5 verified linked claims

Source quality 10/18

Best source per verified claim, weighted by institutional reliability

Direct axis-specific claims 9/18

5 direct claims across 10 active components

Dispute load 12/12

0 disputed claims on this entity

Recency 10/10

Newest accepted timestamp: May 15, 2026

Reviewer status 7/12

Human-reviewed components score higher than AI scaffolding

Component coverage 5/10

5/10 evidence-bearing components have direct support

Evidence State

Profile stateAI draft / human-pending

VerificationUnverified

ConfidenceMedium confidence (AI)

ThoroughnessDeveloped (AI)

Correction routeUse “Challenge this rating” for factual errors, missing counterevidence, source problems, or calculation mistakes.

Company responseCompany representatives can submit source-backed corrections; payment never changes scores or reviewer authority.

Claims and Sources

Claims are the evidence record. Each claim needs a source link, axis category, status, confidence level, and timestamp before it can support a score.

* Tentative scaffolding score. Not human-checked or final.

1Chicago Tool Library publicly identifies itself as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Ownership Verified High confidence Human-reviewed May 15, 2026

Chicago Tool Library homepageGeneral web source · 58%

2Chicago Tool Library operates a public tool lending library at 4015 W Carroll Avenue in Chicago.

Market Conduct Verified High confidence Human-reviewed May 15, 2026

Chicago Tool Library organizationGeneral web source · 58%

3Chicago Tool Library's core offering is borrowing thousands of tools rather than buying or storing them individually.

Product Integrity Verified High confidence Human-reviewed May 15, 2026

Chicago Tool Library organizationGeneral web source · 58%

4Chicago Tool Library describes a broad inventory of tools that members can borrow for repair, making, household, and community projects.

Solidarity Unemployed Verified High confidence Human-reviewed May 15, 2026

Chicago Tool Library homepageGeneral web source · 58%

5Chicago Tool Library lets members access tools such as saws, drills, sewing machines, and camping equipment without buying each item.

Good Deal Verified High confidence Human-reviewed May 15, 2026

Chicago Tool Library homepageGeneral web source · 58%

Alternatives

AGOOD56 Chicago Furniture Bank nonprofit furniture bank · same market AGOOD56 ReStore Chicago nonprofit home-improvement reuse stores · same market AGOOD57 The Freecycle Network nonprofit local reuse and gifting network · United States AGOOD56 Community Warehouse nonprofit furniture bank and reuse store · Oregon, Pacific Northwest AGOOD56 Repair Cafe International Foundation nonprofit repair-cafe movement organization · Global

Competitors

AGOOD56 Chicago Furniture Bank nonprofit furniture bank · same market AGOOD56 ReStore Chicago nonprofit home-improvement reuse stores · same market AGOOD52 Tool Library of Lake County volunteer-run nonprofit tool lending library · same market AGOOD51 The WasteShed nonprofit creative reuse stores · same market AGOOD57 The Freecycle Network nonprofit local reuse and gifting network · United States AGOOD56 Community Warehouse nonprofit furniture bank and reuse store · Oregon, Pacific Northwest AGOOD56 Repair Cafe International Foundation nonprofit repair-cafe movement organization · Global AGOOD52 BRING nonprofit building-material reuse store · Oregon, Pacific Northwest

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Evidence comes in through contributors, is checked by verifiers, and is synthesized by reviewers. Founder authority remains narrow and visible; scores recalculate when verified claims or the rubric change.

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