Before we head into the nitty gritty, let's set the scene.
Benthyg Cymru is a network of Libraries of Things based in Wales.
Benthyg Cymru is championing the ‘borrow, don’t buy’ movement. Benthyg (ben-thig), meaning "to borrow or lend" in Welsh.
Have you been to the RE:MAKE Newport store? It's the first permanent community repair and reuse space in Wales. A collaborative initiative with Repair Cafe Wales.
We have been friends with the Benthyg Cymru gang for eight years or so, and have been lucky enough to work with them, and the wider circular economy movement, for the last few years.
(Drum roll....) For our latest mission, we were tasked with creating a bespoke app with two core functions:
Import data from borrowing platforms and store data in a way that allows us to analyse it. Benthyg has its unique methodology, so we had to take that into account when constructing the data schema.
Allow reporting on multiple levels of complex data to understand how borrowers borrow and what they’re borrowing.
What are we talking about....?
In Owen's latest Developer Blog, he takes us on a journey, explaining the mechanices of how we created a product to prove that borrowing and repairing is a very real sustainable solution to a world-wide problem.
There is huge opportunity in the circular economy space for innovation and collaboration, to make the data more accessible, and to bring about much-needed change. Interested in joining forces? Reach out to us.
Look out for more updates from us on this collaboration, as we have started dabbling with AI to enhance some of the tools we are creating with the network.
