Give Broken Items a Second Life at the Library’s New Repair Clinic

Have a broken lamp, a torn piece of clothing, or a bicycle that needs a little attention? Instead of throwing it away, bring it to the Round Rock Public Library’s new Repair Clinic and work alongside volunteers to see if it can be repaired and returned to use.

The first Repair Clinic will be held Sunday, Aug. 30, with a second session planned for Sunday, Oct. 25. Both sessions require pre-registration and are intended for small items. Following these pilot sessions, the library will evaluate the program and hopes to establish a regular Repair Clinic schedule beginning in January 2027.

What can be repaired?

Volunteers will do their best to help with a variety of small repairs, including:

• Small household electronics: Lamps, toasters, can openers, clocks and stereos
• Clothing: Zipper and button replacements, limited stitching and tears, and some hat repairs
• Bicycles: Repairs will likely take place outdoors in the library courtyard
• Computers and similar devices: Some limited repairs may be attempted; programming assistance is not available
• Books: Book repair and binding

What can’t be repaired?

For safety and practical reasons, the Repair Clinic cannot accept:

• Firearms or other weapons
• Items containing or coated in liquids
• Items that present a hygiene concern, such as microphones
• Clothing alterations or projects requiring construction from scratch
• Operating system alterations, reprogramming or other modifications to devices

Repair volunteers cannot guarantee that an item can be successfully repaired, but they will do their best to help—and hopefully learn something along the way.

Bring your broken items, your curiosity and a willingness to learn. Together, we can give useful things a second life!