This is very cool.
The Harris County’s Katherine Tyra Branch Library [was] crowded with toolboxes, sewing machines and piles of spare parts from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m on Saturday, as volunteer fixers help area residents mend everything from broken appliances to family heirlooms.
“I’ve seen everything from a bingo ball to a metronome,” said Glen Rhoden, a county employee who has volunteered at similar meet-ups in his free time since Harris County kicked off the events in 2023.
The county’s Repair Café is the first of four fix-it sessions scheduled at libraries across Harris County in 2025, with other iterations on the calendar for May 3, September 27 and November 8. Anyone can drop in with broken possessions such as small appliances, lamps, fans, clothing, power cords, toys, clocks and games. Volunteer “repair coaches” do their best to find a fix.
The Harris County Public Library and the Office of County Administration teamed up to try out the model at the county level after it started growing in popularity across the country, and found quick success. Last year, their volunteers gave over 100 broken belongings a second life.
“I do think that the Repair Cafés are filling a void,” said Laura Smith, who leads Harris County Public Library’s sustainability efforts. She said the country’s move towards mass production and planned obsolescence mean that most items which could have been repaired end up crowding the region’s rapidly dwindling landfill space instead.
The initial event was this past Saturday but as noted there are three more such events on the calendar. See here for more about the upcoming events, where and when they are, and how to get involved. I love everything about this. Kudos to everyone who has a hand in them.