“Trastoteka”, Geltoki’s library of things

By project WEEEWaste

Published on 24 December 2024

Spain

Comunidad Foral de Navarra

Pamplona

About this good practice

Geltoki is a social and solidary economy project located in Pamplona’s old bus station.Trastoteka is Geltoki’s library of the things.

It is dedicated to the loan of ‘things’, mainly tools and objects of specific and sporadic use. Its users can temporarily have at their disposal the tools and materials they need, favouring the reduction of production and consumption, promoting the exchange and sharing of materials and guaranteeing access to resources for citizens.

There is an extensive catalogue of items organised by families that can be consulted physically and online: Do It Yourself, gardening, leisure, cleaning, home, office, kitchen, health and care, etc. Among EEE drill, roomba, sandwich maker or electric hedge trimmer can be found. In addition, Trastoteka's materials are repaired and overhauled by a group of volunteers from another Geltoki’s projects, the Repair Café.

Loans are made in exchange for a symbolic amount of between 1-3€ per object per week. Besides, in an exchange for an annual 20€ fee, Trastoteka “superusers” have access to all objects at no additional cost.

This service has a high demand, so, from 2024 onwards, thematic workshops on subjects related to sustainability, repair, recovery and reuse of materials and objects are organised in monthly blocks of 4 sessions per block. The participation usually requires prior registration (free of charge or for the symbolic payment of €3).

Timetable: Tuesday and Thursday: 16:30h-19:30h; Saturday: 11:00h-14:00h.

Resources needed

Funding from:
- micro-financing process: 9.000€
- Government of Navarra: 20.000€/year for financing salary of the coordinator in charge, workshops (workshoppers, materials), consumables, general expenses, communication and purchases of materials demanded by users
And materials donated by neighbours

Evidence of success

Since its launch in December 2023, Trastoteka has been a big hit in the city. The number of regular users of the space has grown exponentially since the opening and currently stands at 314. The catalogue is also growing and has reached 150 objects available for loan.

Potential for learning or transfer

As a result of the success of the project and its media coverage, various projects have asked people responsible for Trastoteka for advice on how to replicate it elsewhere. They have presented the service (sometimes exclusively this project and other times together with other Geltoki’s projects) at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, in the Solidarity Economy Fair of Catalonia, in Córdoba during a Transformative Economies meeting, in Zaragoza and Logroño for REAS and also for the Casa Común project of the Associative Networks of the Canary Islands.
Besides, they colaborate in the creation of the «Guide to the operation of the library of the things», a project of the Government of Aragon within Interreg Europe CECI.