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You can sign up online by filling in the form HERE or visit the toy library when we are open and fill in the form in person. The coordinator will need to see your identification the first time you meet. Payment can be made by EFTPOS, cash or by direct debit to our account.
Our concession and family memberships allow each child in a family to borrow 2 toys or games and 1 puzzle each. Babies under 18 months can borrow 3 toys instead of puzzles. Group memberships allow 6 items to be borrowed. Members assisting with duty are able to borrow 1 extra item on that day of duty.
Items (excluding party items) can be borrowed for up to 3 weeks and may be renewed if needed. Party items, including the Jumping Castle and chairs and tables, can be borrowed for up to one week.
Payments can be made by EFTPOS, cash or direct debit. Our account details are:
Hastings Toy Library Inc.
BSB: 633 000
A/c: 138438254
Reference: Your name
Once you are signed up as a member, simply choose your toys and puzzles and take them to the checkout stand. The toy codes will be entered onto your membership. A loan receipt will be issued (either in paper or viewable via your database logon details). If possible, please check your toys when you get home (before playing) to ensure all toys are complete.
Yes – we accept donated good quality toys provided they are:
- Toys suitable for children from infant to 10 years of age
- Durable and easy to clean
- Easy to transport in a car
- Complete puzzles and board games
- Spare parts such as Little People, plastic balls, blocks and Lego Duplo.
We do not accept donations of soft toys and dolls as they are difficult to clean. We also do not accept home made handcrafted wooden items unless they meet the approval of the Coordinator.
We rely on our members’ assistance to keep our membership prices affordable. Each membership is required to complete 3 duty to hours per year. We are quite flexible with our duty requirements so this can be met in many ways:
- Volunteering at a sessions. This is the most common form of duty where a member will be assisting by counting toys returned to ensure all pieces are accounted for. They may also be asked to assist with cleaning and relabeling parts as well. It’s a great way to see the collection and borrow an extra toy. Children are welcome at open sessions provided they are supervised by their parent/carer.
- Assisting at stocktake. In January of each year, the toy library undertakes it annual stocktake of the collection, where all items are checked and counted. Members can choose to do this as part of their duty; some members opt to do their complete 3 hours for their year at stocktake so they don’t have to worry about it for the rest of the year.
- Assisting with repairing toys. If member are able to repair toys (whether they be wooden, or perhaps sewing), this is another way to complete duty in your own time at home. This needs to be arranged with the Coordinator.
- Providing useful services that may benefit the toy library, such as testing and tagging electrical items, IT support, social media or anything else that would be worth discussing with the Coordinator.
- Undertaking reviews of toys or games. Currently, we like to show how our members are using our toys on social media. Two reviews equate to one hour. This duty preference needs to be arranged with the Coordinator.
- Asist with fundraising opportunities, such as Bunnings BBQs or assisting with other community activities.
The duty levy is an option for members who are unable to commit to any duty obligations, whether it be helping at a session or otherwise. The cost is $35 and needs to be paid upfront.
Currently we do not have late fees. If you are unable to return your toys when they are due, you can renew your toys for one more week or send an email to the coordinator and they will do it for you. We understand that families with young children are very busy and sometimes circumstances are out of your hands, so please let us know if you are having trouble returning your toys on time and require a longer extension.
If you can’t find a piece, you may be asked to borrow the toy for an additional week or so to keep searching for it. In most times, the pieces will turn up and the problem is solved.
However, if the piece is still missing when you come to return the toy, please let the Coordinator know and this piece will be recorded on your membership details so you know to keep looking for it.
Once you’ve found the missing piece and returned it, this note will be removed from your membership details. If the missing piece is detrimental to the play value of the toy, you may be asked to pay to replace that part. Please discuss any missing parts with the coordinator, as the toy library may have spares to replace the missing part.
We understand that accidents happen and that something may happen to a toy. Sometimes they can be repaired or will need to be replaced (and often if chewed by the family dog).
Depending on the age of the toy, a member may be asked to pay for a broken toy, calculated at the committee’s discretion. Sometimes a toy just reaches the end of its ‘playable’ life and may break after being borrowed.
Regardless, all breakages need to be discussed with the Coordinator. If returns occur and a broken piece has not been discussed upfront, there will be correspondence from the Committee.
Toys are much more appealing if they are clean – no one likes to borrow a dirty toy so we strongly recommend that all toys should be returned clean before returning them. Borrowed toys can be cleaned using disinfectant wipes, or by using cotton tips, a toothbrush and warm soapy water. Please do not place any toys in the dishwasher. All toys should be returned to the toy library clean and dry.
The committee consists of toy library members and is a constitutional requirement of the toy library. The committee makes decisions about the everyday running of the toy library, employs a part-time coordinator, helps choose new toys to purchase and runs events such as toy library displays, fundraisers and other invited events. The committee meets around every 2 months and all members are welcome and encouraged to join the committee and get involved.
Toys need to be returned clean. If you are returning a toy that is not working properly, please let us know so that it can be mended, retired or replaced.
Battery toys do not have their batteries replenished by the toy library. You may like to use your own batteries. We assume all battery functions work with fresh batteries but please let us know if this is not the case.
If you are borrowing a balance bike or scooter, your child must wear a helmet when riding it. This is the law in Victoria and a toy library insurance requirement. It is the parent/carer’s responsibility to supply a helmet.
Your child must be supervised at all times whilst visiting the toy library. Please select age appropriate toys. Toys are labeled with age recommendations and safety warnings. Ask our coordinator if you need assistance choosing toys.