For 25 years, Angel Entes has helped Berkeley residents tackle projects they could never imagine completing themselves. Whether someone is repairing their home or learning to use an unfamiliar tool, Entes has been there to offer guidance and encouragement. For him, working at Berkeley’s Tool Lending Library is more than a job. It is an opportunity to give back to the community where he grew up.
Entes, a Berkeley High School graduate from the class of 1982, grew up in South Berkeley. Now a tool lending specialist, he has spent decades helping residents access the equipment and knowledge they need to complete projects without the expense of purchasing their own tools.
“There’s some things that people don’t think they can do, and then you show them how to do it,” Entes said, “I just tell them that I’m confident that you can do it.”
Located at the Tarea Hall Pittman South Branch of the Berkeley Public Library, the Tool Lending Library allows eligible Berkeley residents to borrow equipment free of charge. From power tools to household equipment, the program provides an alternative to purchasing expensive items that might only be needed once.
For Entes, that accessibility is what makes the library such an important resource. “Sometimes people only want to use it one time,” Entes said, “Instead of going out, buying the whole tool or renting a tool, you can come here for free.”
But the library’s impact extends beyond the equipment itself. Entes frequently helps visitors understand how to operate unfamiliar tools, offering advice that can make otherwise intimidating projects feel manageable. He described the satisfaction of seeing customers return after successfully completing something they initially doubted they could do.
Before joining the library, Entes made cabinets, a career that often involved periods of unemployment between jobs. Seeking more stable work, he applied for a position at the library, beginning a career that has now lasted a quarter century.
During that time, Entes has witnessed the library’s transformation from a small trailer into a larger community resource. Yet what has remained most meaningful to him is the opportunity to reconnect with familiar faces.
“I grew up here in Berkeley, so I know a lot of people that come in and out of here,” Entes said, “I get to see the people that I haven’t seen in a long time, talk to them and everything, help them fix their problems.”
That sense of community is also apparent to tool lending specialist Susie Back, who recently became a full-time employee after working intermittently at the library for three years. With experience as an Army mechanic and in home renovations, Back brings a background in hands-on work to her position.
Back said many customers rely on the library regularly, including homeowners maintaining their properties, and apartment residents who lack space to store equipment. “We have people who come in here at least once a week,” Back said.
The projects themselves can be surprisingly diverse. Back recalled a local artisan who regularly borrows equipment while teaching herself wood carving, experimenting with different tools and techniques. Other visitors borrow culinary equipment to make cakes and ice cream.
For Berkeley resident Nick Servidio, the library offered a practical solution to a problem in his kitchen. With limited counter space, Servidio wanted to create a smooth wooden surface that would give him more room to work.
The library allows registered borrowers to check out up to ten items for one week at no cost. Borrowers must be at least 18 years old, hold a library card and provide proof of Berkeley residency.
While the tools themselves are returned after each loan, the knowledge customers gain lasts far longer. The employees’ work reflects the heart of the Tool Lending Library: giving residents access to equipment, but also an opportunity to help one another.