Woocommerce Tool Library?

Technology Software
#1

Hi! We, York Collective, have been looking at the different platform options for a library of things/tool library, does anyone have any insight into the feasibility of using woocommerce? There’s a hire shop woocommerce tutorial, so it can’t be too hard, right?

We’re a cycle courier cooperative, members of Coopcycle. The reason for wanting to use WordPress/Woocommerce is that we have a WordPress plugin for integration with the Coopcycle platform.

#2

Hi @MattN, would you mind to write down a list of the “different platform options” that you looked into?

Is this list something we could add to https://github.com/awesome-selfhosted/awesome-selfhosted ?

Thanks!

#3

It might be worth asking here, https://wickcuriosityshop.net/collection/tool-library to see how they did things. :smiley:

Also here, https://56abikespace.wordpress.com/ :smiley:

#4

@MattN I don’t know much about your specific use case for a tool library but we very much recommend the WooCommerce/Wordpress for shop type thing. It just works :tm: (most of the time) and most of the tools are widely used.

I posted a request on my personal Mastodon account about your question. I’ll let you know if anyone replies.

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#5

Awesome, thanks for your help!

#6

Just came across this,

https://www.shareable.net/tool-sharing-innovator-post-mortem-uncovers-systemic-issues-in-our-convenience-economy/ :smiley:

And the rest of the articles can be found here,

https://www.shareable.net/series/libraries-of-things/ :smiley:

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#7

I found this but its for books:

Could quite easily be adapted I think but I guess that’s overkill for what you wanted.

#8

Latest Shareable newsletter has this,

https://www.shareable.net/libraries-of-things-continue-to-catalog-success/ :smiley:

One of the systems mentioned is an asset-tracking platform,

https://myturn.com/lending-libraries/

Might be worth testing out. :smiley:

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#9

Thanks Billy,

We’ve set up something using Woocommerce and a rental plugin. It’s a little janky but integrates with our CoopCycle logistics platform
.

4 Likes
#10

Another article about Tool Libraries from Shareable,

https://www.shareable.net/the-lending-ripple-how-libraries-of-things-are-changing-their-cities-for-the-better/ :smiley:

Might be worth getting in touch with Shareable about your projects, as they’ll be able to put you in touch with the relevant people from other projects elsewhere. :smiley:

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#11

Yeah, I asked @RebeccaTrevalyan from LibraryofThings.co.uk about this and she said:

Software- most LoTs/ Tool libraries use MyTurn (http://myturn.com) It’s not open source and the UX is a bit clunky sadly - but does the job for testing.
We’ve ended up building our own software (http://libraryofthings.co.uk/catalogue) because the self-serve kiosk model we developed couldn’t be supported by MyTurn. It’s also not open source (not psyched about Amazon/ Bosch etc ripping it off), but v open to licensing it to the right folks.

I’ve also recently discovered Snipe-IT which is a powerful open source web designed for IT asset management, but I don’t see why it couldn’t be used for any other type of assets too. Think it could well work well for a Library of Things (that’s kinda sorta what asset management stuff is - think checking out laptops, projects etc at Universities etc):



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