At a Repair Café in the basement of H.G. Thode Library of Science and Engineering, worktables fill with tools and disassembled appliances as students gather to bring broken items back to life.
McMaster’s Repair Café began as a collaboration between the libraries’ sustainability committee and Thode Makerspace, with a shared goal of diverting broken items from the landfill.
Now in its fifth year, the monthly program is run by a dedicated team of volunteers who have repaired everything from laptops and headphones to coffee machines and bicycles.
“The Repair Café is an opportunity to learn and get hands-on experience alongside others,” said Britt Sostar, Makerspace coordinator. “A strong community has grown out of it, with regular volunteers who share a DIY mindset and want to keep developing these skills together.”
The Repair Café is part of a global movement that challenges the throwaway economy and aligns with McMaster University Libraries’ Year of Environmental Action. By extending the lifespan of everyday items, the initiative encourages repair over replacement while offering practical ways to reduce waste.
Volunteers work alongside attendees to troubleshoot issues, share knowledge, and experiment with solutions. No prior repair experience is required.
Meenaa Saththi, student assistant at the Thode Makerspace, says the Repair Café experience has been as much about personal growth as it has been about fixing objects.
“I started volunteering at Repair Cafés not really knowing what I was doing,” said Saththi. “Over time, you collect your wins and losses, you have people supporting you, and your confidence builds. Now I feel I have a skill set to contribute.”
Repair Cafés run once a month throughout the academic year at Thode Makerspace, open to McMaster students, faculty and staff.
“One thing I’ve learned is to never underestimate your impact,” said Saththi. “Even if you cannot fix something, the fact that you’re able to show up, hear someone’s story, and try to find a solution shows that there’s a lot of humanity in what we do here.”
Learn more
Volunteers are always needed to support the Thode Makerspace Repair Café. For more information, please email mkrspace@mcmaster.ca.
To learn more about sustainability at the libraries, visit the Libraries Sustainability Committee LibGuide and the Year of Environmental Action webpage.
