Headquarters 

The Gear Library headquarters is located in the lower level of the Roosevelt Park gymnasium building (739 Van Raalte Dr SW). The library will is open on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm. 

Spanish speaking staff members are currently on site every Wednesday from 4:30-7pm and Thursday from 2-7pm. Translations for most languages can be made available during all open hours through a call-in service. Staff will help facilitate this process.

Click here to view our virtual gear library

Have an idea of a piece of gear you'd like us to carry? We'd love to hear it. 

Who can use the Gear Library?

Memberships are available for Grand Rapids residents 18 years and older. Members can also choose to allow dependents aged 16 and 17 to borrow equipment under their account.

Organizations, businesses, and non profits are also welcome, but must schedule a consultation to become a member and use this service. Please email gearlibrary@grcity.us to setup a consultation.

We focus our efforts on specific neighborhoods within Grand Rapids, particularly where residents have faced disproportionate social or economic barriers to the outdoors. If you'd like to see this work continue, please consider making a donation when you borrow gear.

How do I borrow gear? 

As an individual:

1. Before borrowing gear, please come to the gear library for a membership orientation.
2. After you become a member, you can check out available gear on the spot, or reserve gear in advance. You'll be given instructions to do this during your membership orientation. 

For large groups, organizations, nonprofits, etc:

We’d love to talk more and see if we can support you! To discuss further, contact staff at gearlibrary@grcity.us . We can't guarantee gear availability for every group, and a group fee may be charged.

Do I need to bring anything to my membership orientation? 

There are no fee's for residents to borrow gear. Please bring one proof of address, but we will not keep these documents after you show them to us. Proof of ID can be done with a passport, ID, drivers license,  or piece of mail. 

Is the gear library really free? 

Yes! We do not charge deposits or late fees. Please respect equipment from the library so that it can be used by more people. If equipment or policies are abused, we may not lend to a member again.

How do I make a donation.

Equipment donations can be made without notice at the gear library during open hours. If you have questions about what we need or accept, feel free to shoot us an email in advance. 

Financial donations can be made online by clicking here. 

Is equipment cleaned in between uses? 

Yes it is! We have laundry facilities and processes in place to clean items in between uses. Items are also checked in between uses to ensure they function properly. 

The gear library  is a resource for the entire community. We just ask that you treat this equipment as if it were your own, and respect our policies. Doing so will help us maintain this resource for years to come! 

When you come in for a membership orientation or camping workshop, we will go over our policies in detail. If you'd like to see them in advance, you can check out our member agreement below.

  Membership Agreement in English

Membership Agreement in Spanish

We require camping orientations for two reasons:

1. To ensure that members are comfortable with the equipment, so they can have maximum fun

2. To ensure that our camping equipment is treated the same way by everyone who borrows it

Our mission is rooted in a desire to support first time campers, who haven't had the ability to experience a camping trip before. If this is not you, please consider finding another source for your camping gear, so that more spaces are open to first timers. 

Organizations and businesses who become members have access to all of the same equipment that residents do. We focus our efforts on organizations and after school programs that work with youth who may not otherwise have access to outdoor experiences.

To get started, set up a consultation with the gear library staff by emailing gearlibrary@grcity.us. The team will determine if your program is eligible for gear library support. Once you become a member, the gear library team will be by your side to help with any skill building or gear needs you have to make your plans a reality. We are happy to help build trip plans, train staff members, or even attend outings with you if we have the availability.

As a group member, we ask that you appoint 1-2 people who can be the points of contact for your borrowing needs.

• Invite a gear library staff member to join your group for a hike, walk in a park, or tour of a local nature center
• Staff training in outdoor skills. I.e dressing for all weather conditions, camping, hiking, and more! 
• Group quantities of yard games, sporting equipment, apparel, etc

 

Gear Library Sponsors

Great Lakes Sponsors

Lake Michigan Sponsors

Grand River Sponsors

Plaster Creek Sponsors

Thrive Outside Grand Rapids is a proud member of the Outdoors Empowered Network

Network Partners

Thrive Outside Grand Rapids is a collaborative effort with numerous local organizations working to increase equitable access to the outdoors. This work began through the work of a committee containing the following partners.

Blandford Nature Center

Boys and Girls Club of Grand Rapids Youth Commonwealth

Camp Newaygo

Expanded Learning Opportunities Network

Friends of Grand Rapids Parks

Grand Rapids Audubon Club

Grand Rapids Children's Museum

Grand Rapids Parks & Recreation

Grand Rapids Public Schools

Groundswell

John Ball Zoo

Latino Outdoors GR

Lower Grand River Organization of Watersheds

Our Community's Children

Outdoor Afro

Outdoor Foundation

Sierra Club Michigan Chapter

Switchback Gear Exchange

West Michigan Environmental Action Council

About Thrive Outside 

Thrive Outside is a nationwide initiative that was started by the Outdoor Foundation. In April 2019, the Outdoor Foundation awarded grants to Grand Rapids, San Diego, Atlanta, and Oklahoma City.

The grants were awarded to support community networks that collectively provide youth and families with multiple, repeat and reinforcing experiences in the outdoors.

Read more about the Thrive Outside Initiative

About Our Community's Children 

Our Community’s Children was the recipient of the Thrive Grant in Grand Rapids, and closely partnered with the Grand Rapids Parks and Recreation Department to spearhead this initiative.

The Thrive Outside initiative in Grand Rapids builds upon many recent efforts to connect children to nature through community health and wellness, education, out-of-school time programming, job creation, leadership development, and more.

A community planning effort in 2016 – led by Our Community’s Children with support from the Children & Nature Network and National League of Cities – created the vision that drives this work:  

“All Grand Rapids youth have equitable access to natural places and spaces for a happy and healthy life.”

Learn More About the Connecting Children to Nature Initiative

Recent Media

• The Power of Partnerships: Grand Rapids, MI has become a national leader in connecting children to nature (Children and Nature Network)
• Turning Education Inside Out (Children and Nature Network)
• Students get out of classroom and into nature (mLive)

• Gear library aims to give urban families outdoor adventures (Wood TV 8)