The latest news and updates from the access economy, and how item renting and sharing became that little bit easier in April 2026.
Shareable launches Library of Things toolkit 2.0
Shareable has released version 2.0 of its Library of Things toolkit.
The expanded guide helps communities plan, start and grow their own Library of Things, drawing on 17 years of experience to offer an end-to-end roadmap. It covers sourcing items, setting up policies and systems, finding and designing a space, marketing and much more.
The revamped toolkit gives the growing community of LoT founders a shared reference point, and helps lower the barrier to entry for those still in the planning phase.
Bruges library shows how municipal libraries can shift from books to things
Sint-Pieters neighbourhood library in Stad Brugge is a shining example of how municipal libraries can transition from books to ‘things’ – and the impact it can have on a community.
By giving members access to items they might otherwise not be able to afford or store at home – from teppanyaki grills to lawnmowers – all within its €20 annual library membership, the library has renewed its place at the heart of the community. And it started completely organically: community members began asking if they could borrow equipment housed in the attached community centre, and six months later, they had a fully functioning library of things.
Nienke de Jong from the Access Economy Alliance spoke with one of the library’s managers, Lieselot, about her experience setting up this library of things, and gathered her top five tips to help other libraries make the transition.
Ghent rolls out UrbanCubby smart lockers across the city
Ghent’s UrbanCubby pilot is now live at 10 locations across the city – including Zuidpark, Pierkespark, Rabotpark and the Watersportbaan.
The smart lockers are free to use and stocked with sports and games equipment, making exercise and play more accessible than ever. The pilot continues Ghent’s ‘pleasant exercise in the city’ theme and helps make low-pollution play and exercise the easy choice. UrbanCubby is one of the approved projects within the Targeted Call Shared Use of Circular Flanders, and ClubCubby and Stad Gent are participants of the Green Deal Renting and Sharing – a strong example of how shared use is finding concrete form in public space.
City of Amsterdam invites residents to help build its library of things
Amsterdam is exploring the launch of a library of things, and is asking residents to help shape it via a short, anonymous survey.
Inspired by successful models in cities like London, Toronto, Vienna and Sydney, the planned service would give residents easy access to high-quality items — tools, kitchen appliances, outdoor gear and more — without the hassle of ownership. Residents with international or non-Dutch backgrounds are especially being asked to contribute, to ensure the service reflects the needs of Amsterdam’s diverse communities.
It’s a good example of how municipalities are increasingly engaging citizens directly in the design of access-based services. Local relevance is critical to long-term uptake, and listening before launching is becoming a defining feature of the cities doing this well.
PACCT x AEA webinar on advancing the access economy at city and business level
On 27 April, PACCT for sustainability and the Access Economy Alliance hosted a webinar to introduce wider audiences to the access economy.
Poppins, Southwark Council and Bax Innovation came together to explore the opportunities and challenges around scaling rental and sharing services across cities – sharing what’s working, what’s still standing in the way, and what cities, councils and businesses can do together to make access-based services as easy and appealing as buying.
Washington Post shares insights on why people are willing to share, but not rent
A recent column by Michael J. Coren in The Washington Post offers a useful reflection for anyone working in the access economy.
The piece argues that many early sharing platforms struggled because they tried to turn local trust into a marketplace, and that low-value items like drills or blenders rarely generate enough financial incentive to sustain that model. Community-driven, trust-based sharing models, like neighbourhood groups, free open-source platforms, or institutional models like Libraries of Things, have proven far more effective, with the real value of sharing lying in social connection, not financial exchange.
It’s a timely reminder as the sector continues to grow: the most resilient models tend to centre community and local relevance, with financial exchange playing a supporting role rather than a leading one.
Share your access economy news with us!
Seen a great example of rental or sharing in action? Or want to highlight your own project? Share it with us so we can feature it in upcoming newsletters.
