# Decision Log — Mossridge Tool Lending Library

## 2026-03-04
- **Pursuing the project.** Adult Services Librarian + Library Director agreed there's enough informal demand signal (years of "do you lend tools?" inquiries) to investigate seriously. Acknowledged that informal inquiries are not the same as validated demand.

## 2026-03-11
- **Reference programs to study: Berkeley, Oakland, Toronto.** Selected based on size, longevity, and accessibility of operational data.

## 2026-03-25
- **Initial scope: hand and power tools only.** Rejected including specialty categories (sewing, electronics test gear, automotive) for MVP. Reason: staff expertise and storage. Revisit year 2.
- **Free model.** Confirmed — paid model rejected as inconsistent with library mission. Donation jar approved as soft revenue.

## 2026-04-01
- **Volunteer-run model.** Selected to keep ongoing operating costs low. Acknowledged risk: Berkeley correspondence flagged staff-hours as the biggest sustainability concern in similar programs. Plan to revisit at year-one review.

## 2026-04-08
- **Funding architecture: ARPA grant + Friends matching + in-kind donations.** Considered municipal budget request; rejected as too slow (next budget cycle is 18 months out). Grant is faster but requires fall 2027 launch deadline.

## 2026-04-15
- **Launch timing: Q3 2027.** Driven by ARPA grant deadline, not by service-readiness analysis. Acknowledged this is grant-driven, not user-driven, timing.
- **Year-one target: 300 unique borrowers.** Set by analogy to comparable programs scaled to Mossridge population. No local validation underlying this number.

## 2026-04-22
- **Hardware store satellite deferred to year 2.** Operational complexity exceeds our launch capacity.
- **Liability: pending formal opinion from town legal.** Borrower waiver in draft.

## 2026-04-30
- **Brief finalized for board meeting.** Status moved to final.
- **Open items acknowledged for board discussion:** demand validation method, volunteer sustainability, written legal opinion on off-premises tool use coverage.
