I've thought a lot about the whole owner's risk thing. That is usually what prevents people from lending their belongings. There is also the problem of some people not having the personal resources to pay to replace something that was damaged or broken, and in reality, even the most careful people occasionally break or damage things. I've been thinking about a membership fee - on a sliding scale, and that this money be used as an insurance fund for replacement or repair costs that may be needed from time to time. We would only include items for share that were of a value that the fund could afford to replace/repair if needed. If for some reason there was a significant amount of dipping into this fund, the members would have to decide what to do about the issue.

I am really trying to make sure the system is risk free and works smoothly for all involved. I know that relying on the good intensions of others is not always a realistic way to approach projects. It only takes one person with no regard for others to destroy people's faith in a project.