thingsþing

thingsþing is a community framework and platform for cataloging, sharing, and discussing physical and digital objects within a participatory commons. The term combines things with þing, the Old Norse word for an assembly or meeting, signaling its aim to merge object curation with collective decision-making.

Origins trace the concept to open culture and maker communities in the early 2020s, inspired by library-of-things projects and cooperative governance models. It emphasizes transparency, reuse, repair, and knowledge transmission.

In practice, participants contribute items to a public catalog, providing metadata such as title, provenance, condition, and potential for reuse. Each item receives a unique identifier in a shared ledger, enabling provenance tracking and simple repurposing. Governance operates through regular assemblies, or ting, where members discuss additions, removals, and policy changes. Decisions are made by consensus or majority vote, with roles such as curators, ambassadors, and facilitators to help maintain categories and processes.

The platform often combines a digital catalog with physical meetups, called ting events, where members exchange items, share demonstrations, and coordinate repair sessions. It supports educational use, community libraries of things, and repair cultures, bridging informal sharing and organized institutions.

Criticism centers on scope and sustainability: ensuring durable curation, preventing vandalism or fraud, and addressing digital access gaps. Proponents argue it offers a pragmatic, low-cost way to extend the useful life of objects and to democratize access to information about them.