The Albury-Wodonga Library of Things held its first community discussion on Saturday at the Sustainable Activity Centre on the Lincoln Causeway.

Co-founders Corrie Pierce and Claire Greenhalgh plan to hold another meeting in about six weeks, seek public donations and further promote their venture.

“Before the year’s up we hope to have the doors open and people in and borrowing,” Mrs Pierce said.

“It helps the community so why not get people involved and interested?”

A Library of Things comprises items such as kitchenware, board games, leisure products or camping gear that community members can access. These loans might be objects people don’t want to keep permanently, might otherwise not be able to afford or simply wanted to share with the wider community.

“Those one-off tools that you only need once in a blue moon or you can’t store, so it’s those speciality items that will really make a difference in your lives without sinking your budget,” Mrs Pierce said.

“Try before you buy – each term kids might try a new sport or hobby and they often want all the things that go along with it.”

Such libraries were popping up overseas but the Border founders weren’t aware of another Australian one.

Mrs Pierce said Saturday’s initial talks were pleasing.

“We had a good, enthusiastic group of people that really were passionate and focused about what they wanted to bring to the Library of Things,” Mrs Pierce said.

“They were really interested in just being able to not ‘consumerise’ as much, so they didn’t want to keep spending, they wanted to be part of something special, something new and different, something that was going to change how they purchase things or look at purchasing.”

It’s proposed the library be open for part of two days a week, allowing people to access it on a week day and the weekend.

The founders hope people will come forward to support the library as volunteers.

“It’s a really good initiative that includes everybody,” Mrs Pierce said.