Tossing out broken household items won’t be the first option for local residents this month, thanks to the Repair Café coming to the Port Washington Public Library.
Skilled volunteers — including hobbyists, tinkerers and repair experts — will help attendees fix items they bring from home from lamps and jewelry to clothing and small electronics on Dec. 20 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
The event is part of the Nassau Public Libraries Repair Café initiative and is a collaborative effort among Port Washington Public Library, The Bryant Library, Shelter Rock Public Library, Sea Cliff Library, Bayville Free Library, Gold Coast Library, and Locust Valley Library.
“Repair Cafés are free meeting places where people can work together to repair items that would otherwise be thrown away,” according to the international Repair Café website. Volunteers provide guidance and expertise while sharing practical skills that help participants extend the life of their belongings.
Repair Cafés not only reduce waste, but also promote sustainability by keeping materials in circulation, lowering energy use, and cutting carbon emissions. They provide a hands-on opportunity for people to learn repair skills that are increasingly rare in younger generations.
Community members who want to volunteer or reserve a spot to have an item repaired can call any participating library or check the online calendar for availability.
Those without items to repair can still participate by helping others, enjoying refreshments or browsing books on DIY repair.
The Repair Café concept was started in Amsterdam in 2009 by Martine Postma as a way to encourage sustainability at a local level. Since then the initiative has grown into an international movement, with local chapters sharing skills, fostering community, and helping people rethink the value of their possessions.
For more information about the international Repair Café movement, visit repaircafe.org.
