The library of things is an easy, obvious and necessary solution that allows the sharing of goods and materials that are not often used. Thanks to an online inventory, each user can borrow in a few clicks and reserve in advance more than 3000 objects available in our premises.
About Us
Mission - Vision - Values
OVERVIEW
OUR MISSION
We would like to
•Fight against consumerism, which destroys our environment and perpetuates an unjust economic and social system
• Reduce the consumption of goods and resources and, therefore, the extraction of limited natural resources and the production of waste
•Be a friendly, respectful and inclusive environment to welcome people without any discrimination
• Create social relationships and rediscover a sense of solidarity and mutual aid
OUR OBJECTIVES
We aim to
• Create a network of stations (branches) to effectively serve the greatest number of neighborhoods and communities in the canton of Geneva
• Establish an offer for professional training and to professionalize the service
• Promote projects with similar values
• Be a stimulating place of co-creation for the society, a relay point for social economy and solidarity networks
• Offer a reliable sharing services
• Reduce social inequalities by making objects accessible at a modest price
• Convince 10% of the population to use sharing services
OUR VISION
Creative and solidarity communities that respect planetary limits
We aim to fight and raise awareness against rampant consumerism that compromises our environment and perpetuates an unjust economic and social system.
BORROW - USE - SHARE
OUR VALUES
La Manivelle is above all a human adventure!
La Manivelle is a place of life and conviviality, respectful and inclusive, without any discrimination. The project aims to create social links and to rediscover a sense of solidarity and mutual aid.
PROXIMITY
To make the lending service easily accessible to everyone, we create spaces of trust and conviviality in the neighbourhoods where everyone is welcome.
DURABILITY
By promoting mutualisation/cooperation through the sharing of everyday objects, we contribute to reducing the extraction of raw materials, curbing industrial overproduction and reducing waste production.
SOLIDARITY
Through sharing, La Manivelle allows people with a small budget to access objects easily and at affordable prices. Our project also provides opportunities for people to get involved through volunteering and offers training and job placement.
TRANSPARENCY
La Manivelle is a non-profit cooperative with ideal goals. Accounts and projects are created with members and borrowers. The cooperative wants to be a model and would support any collective that would like to replicate a library of things in their city/neighbourhood on the concept of open source.
The Team
ORGANISATIONAL CHART
MAIN ACTORS
Among the many people who generously contribute to the existence of La Manivelle, here are those of whom we have found a photo:
Robert (Partnerships)
Robert is the founder, coordinator and the driving force behind the project, La Manivelle.
Contact him at robert@manivelle.ch
Aurélien (Training)
Aurélien is currently in charge of the library, he is the one you will see during the opening hours and who will welcome you warmly. After a 6-month internship with us, we continue the adventure together with great pleasure!
Contact him at aurelien@manivelle.ch
Yannick (Maintenance)
If you have a broken object, do not worry, our repairman Yannick will be happy to help you get it working again as much as possible. You will find him at the Café des Possible in the district of Étang in Vernier.
Contact him at yannick.jakob@manivelle.ch
Solen (Communication)
Solen is in-charge of the communication at La Manivelle and she is inviting you to check us out in our social media accounts: on Facebook, on Instagram, and on TikTok!
Contact her at solen@manivelle.ch
Aneta (Administration)
Aneta is our administrative manager. She works mainly in the back office and make sure that La Manivelle runs smoothly.
Contact her at aneta@manivelle.ch
MAIN ACTORS
Among the many people who generously contribute to the existence of La Manivelle, here are those of whom we have found a photo:
Robert (Partnerships)
Robert is the founder, coordinator and the driving force behind the project, La Manivelle.
Contact him at robert@manivelle.ch
Aurélien (Training)
Aurélien is currently in charge of the library, he is the one you will see during the opening hours and who will welcome you warmly. After a 6-month internship with us, we continue the adventure together with great pleasure!
Contact him at aurelien@manivelle.ch
Yannick (Maintenance)
If you have a broken object, do not worry, our repairman Yannick will be happy to help you get it working again as much as possible. You will find him at the Café des Possible in the district of Étang in Vernier.
Contact him at yannick.jakob@manivelle.ch
Solen (Communication)
Solen is in-charge of the communication at La Manivelle and she is inviting you to check us out in our social media accounts: on Facebook, on Instagram, and on TikTok!
Contact her at solen@manivelle.ch
Aneta (Administration)
Aneta is our administrative manager. She works mainly in the back office and make sure that La Manivelle runs smoothly.
Contact her at aneta@manivelle.ch
CONTRIBUTORS
But, La Manivelle would not be what it is without its collaborators, who are now engaged in other adventures.
Sophie
Sophie, one of the backbones of the project, joined us in the first eight months of the adventure. She took care of tasks as diverse as accounting, administration and many other things.
Martin
Martin brought La Manivelle to version 2.0 by developing the new website as well as a tool to facilitate the inventory of objects. But it’s normal, he’s on the Internet!
Catarina
During a fruitful collaboration, Catarina helped us to professionalize our communication. She designed our new graphic charter, created our new logo and developed our editorial line. She also developed the communication strategy on social networks.
Dimitri
Dimitri “the artist” is a pearl of ingenuity and initiative. Assigned to the computer works at the beginning of the adventure, he moved and created another library of things.
Daniel
Daniel animated our website and social media in 2022.
Why La Manivelle?
In doubt, come and let’s explain
The library of things is first and foremost a project run by citizens for citizens; its usefulness is based on the following observations:
3 Important Axes
La Manivelle's action is centred on three axes: community, ecology and economy.
COMMUNITY
The cooperative functions mainly thanks to its community and its participation, and the commitment of its members. For instance, the General Assembly is the supreme body that collegially defines the catalog of objects.
ECOLOGY
By sharing objects, we contribute to reduce our consumption and thus preserve resources and avoid waste. In addition, all the items in the catalog are donations!
ECONOMY
The best way to save money and use an item at your own pace is to share it. It also saves plenty of space!
They Talk About Us
On the Media
The cooperative, La Manivelle, is an innovative project, active in the ecological and citizen transition that aims to change the society. Sharing, solidarity, simplicity, ecology, economy, proximity, autonomy... values carried out by La Manivelle are numerous and widely shared by the population. We are delighted with the very positive reception given by the press to announce the opening of the library of things.
What they say...
Press
24 Heures
• La Manivelle lance sa récolte d’objets en tout genre (24.12.2019)
• Un coup de Manivelle lutte pour le climat (19.09.2020)
Le Courrier
• Antenne lausannoise pour La Manivelle (24.11.2019)
20 minutes
• Genève: Une bibliothèque pour «emprunter des objets» (13.01.2019)
• Lausanne se met à la page des bibliothèques d'objets (21.11.2019)
Bilan
• Des héros de la transition réunis à Genève (10.10.2019)
• Quand les consommateurs ne veulent plus consommer (19.08.2019)
Marie Claire
• On s’implique (01.09.2019)
L'Environnement
• Consommation: «Partager ou louer plutôt qu’acheter» (31.10.2019)
18h39
• Dans cette bibliothèque d'un nouveau genre, on peut tout emprunter sauf des livres (21.02.2019)
L'Info Durable
• Suisse : ouverture à Genève d'une bibliothèque... d'objets! (20.02.2019)
FRC
• Le prêt vaut mieux que l'achat d'un objet occasionnel (01.02.2019)
Le Dauphiné Libéré
• À Genève, la bibliothèque où s’empruntent perceuse et machine à pop corn (02.04.2019)
GHI
• Tour de Manivelle - p. 13 (09.01.2019)
Migros Magazine
• Ils font tourner La Manivelle - pp 8-11 (03.02.2020)
La Côte
• Nyon et Morges: et si vous empruntiez un crêpes party à la biblio? (17.05.2021)
Radio
Couleur 3
• Des bibliothèques d'objets pour encourager le partage (23.12.2019)
La Première
• La Manivelle, première bibliothèque d’objets de seconde main de Suisse romande (05.02.2019)
• La Manivelle, coopérative genevoise de partage d'outils: interview de Robert Stitelmann (10.06.2019)
Radio Vostok
• Lancement officiel de La Manivelle - Bibliothèque d'objets (10.09.2019)
Radio Lac
• La Manivelle, la première bibliothèque d'objets s'ouvre à Genève (11.01.2019)
One FM
• La Manivelle vous prête des objets du quotidien (04.06.2019)
TV
19h30
• Geste pour le climat: louer des outils dans une bibliothèque à Genève. (23.01.2019)
Aujourd'hui
• Où est Charles ? - Bibliothèque de partage d'objets et d'outils (20.02.2019)
Léman Bleu
• L'entreprise du jour (26.11.2018)
• Solutions durables, solutions rentables? (11.05.2021)
Facebook & Youtube
Les Inspirateurs
• Dimitri et Robert - La Manivelle / La bibliothèque d'objets à Genève (27.02.2019)
Nouvo
Internet & Blogs
We Demain
• Skis, guitare, perceuse… Cessez d’acheter grâce aux bibliothèques d’objets (07.03.2019)
Genie.ch
• Connaissez-vous La Manivelle, coopérative genevoise de partage d'objets ? (16.05.2019)
• Zoom sur une économie circulaire florissante : La manivelle Lausanne (29.11.2019)
Le blog de 6°designers
• Retour à l'envoyeur (02.07.2019)
Immorama
• Partager plutôt que consommer (05.06.2020)
Entreprendre Transition
• La Manivelle, la bibliothèque d’objets qui fait des émules (12.03.2021)
RTS
• La Manivelle, la bibliothèque d’objets qui fait des émules (06.03.2021)
familles-nombreuses.ch
• Bibliothèque d’objets / Repair café
Ressources Urbaines
• Ressources Urbaines ׀ Coopérative genevoise d'artistes et d'acteur-ice-x-s culturel-le-x-s (18.03.2021)
Guides, Associations & Others
Guides
• Guide de la consommation éthique, livre ▶
• Guide sur la consommation responsable, canton de Genève ▶
Cantonal
• acheter de façon responsable, Ville de Genève ▶
• Programme national sur l'économie circulaire ▶
Associations
• Carte des ateliers de réparation sur le canton de Genève, GE REPARE ▶
• keep in use, site romand de don d'objets ▶
• Eco-Citoyen, accompagne les familles dans une multitude de domaines ▶
• Les artisans à vélo ▶
Awards
F.A.Q.
Une question? On-y répond !
Tu peux trouver sur cette page les questions les plus fréquemment posées. Si tu ne trouves pas ta question ici, contacte-nous.
OTHERS
WHAT HAPPENS IF I BREAK OR LOSE AN ITEM?
You have the choice of replacing it or paying the replacement fee.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
HOW DOES IT WORK?
It's very simple: you can create your account online or on site. Get a subscription. And you’re ready!
CAN I BORROW OBJECTS ON SITE WITHOUT A RESERVATION?
Of course you can! You can create your account and get a subscription on site.
MEMBERSHIP FEE
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
We offer two types of subscriptions: monthly (20 francs) and annual (100 francs). For those with tight budgets, the prices are reduced to 10 francs and 50 francs respectively.
OTHERS
WHAT HAPPENS IF I BREAK OR LOSE AN ITEM?
You have the choice of replacing it or paying the replacement fee.
MORE QUESTIONS?
Still looking for an answer? Contact us directly by phone or click the button below.