Why should i join ocean grove toy library?
There are lots of good reasons to join. For starters, you’ll be able to access to a large variety of toys that offer a huge range of play experiences and find out more about your child’s play preferences. You’ll also get to meet other local families and save money. Toy libraries are also all about reducing waste by reusing – a great message to share with kids. Best of all, by being able to frequently refresh your kids’ toy selection, you’ll keep them engaged and happy!
Where is Ocean Grove Toy Library?
You can find us at the Boorai Centre on Shell Road (behind the Bellarine Aquatic and Sports Centre).
What are the membership fees?
Click here for the membership fee structure.
Note, full payment (including deposits for Casual Membership) must be received before your membership can commence.
I need to transfer money via EFt. What are the Toy Library’s bank details?
Bendigo Bank
Ocean Grove Toy Library
BSB 633 000
Account 154 850 176
Please use your member surname as reference and email a receipt to coordinator@oceangrovetoylibrary.org.au
can i pay by eftpos?
Yes! We have a Square Terminal (EFTPOS machine) at the toy library for payments – and receipts, if needed. Please note that new membership payments must be received before your membership can commence.
How Can I browse toys?
You can browse toys in the Toy Library during opening hours, or online with your member login details for our database (‘mibase’).
How long is the borrowing period?
The usual borrowing period is 2 weeks.
How many toys can i borrow?
The ‘Full’ membership allows you to borrow 4 toys a fortnight. The ‘Family Plus’ membership doubles your toy allowance to 8 toys a fortnight.
Are there any late fees?
There are no late fees for overdue toys, but please get in touch if you’re having trouble getting to the Toy Library to return your toys and we can make alternative arrangements.
I have a friend who would love the toy library…
Fantastic! If you introduce a new member to the Toy Library you’ll receive a month’s free membership. Please tell the committee member on duty, or contact us.
do you offer gift vouchers?
Yes! Please ask the committee member on duty, or contact us. Vouchers are available in printed or e-voucher form.
What is the Duty Roster?
As the Toy Library is run by unpaid volunteers, we ask all members to sign up to the duty roster 4 times a year (which works out as once a term)*. Duty involves helping a committee member run a toy library session, with their guidance. Volunteering is a great way to meet other toy library members and to learn more about the toys we offer.
You’re welcome to bring your children with you when you’re volunteering, as long as you keep an eye on them. They’re free to play with the bigger toys out on display, but we prefer that they play with toys with small parts or lots of pieces at home, once you’ve officially borrowed them!
Please sign up for a date that suits you here. If you can’t make your rostered duty, please let us know asap by email or message us via our Facebook page.
We understand that not all members will be in a position to do duty. When you sign up, you can choose to opt out of the duty roster by paying a levy of $40.
*Grandparent members are exempt from duty (but if any would like to do duty, they are very welcome to!)
what is stocktake?
Stocktake usually happens once year, during the summer school holidays. During our stocktake sessions, all toys are checked and updated in our database. If they’re damaged beyond repair or have too many missing pieces to still have their ‘fun factor’, we’ll retire them as sustainably as possible. As we have hundreds of toys for loan at the Toy Library, your help at stocktake is vital if we want to get through them all (coffee and background music supplied!). Doing an annual stocktake helps make sure our toys continue to be appealing (and safe) for members .
How can I help out at the toy library?
Ideally we aim to have a committee of 10 volunteers to run the Toy Library, which we don’t always achieve. If you’d like to become a committee member, please contact us at any point during the year and have a chat with us. You can sign up for a specific role or be a general committee member. If you aren’t able to sign up to the committee but would still like to help, volunteering for our annual stocktake is a great way to contribute. We also hold lots of small working bees throughout the year, and extra pairs of hands are always appreciated! Any volunteer hours count towards the activity test for Child Care Subsidy.
We’ve also welcomed student volunteers from the junior rotary program into the library in recent times and are happy to be approached by parents of junior rotary students.
how do I renew my membership?
If your membership is about to expire or has expired, and you would like to renew your membership, please speak to the committee member on duty and they can renew your membership upon receipt of payment (cash, card or EFT).
how do I cancel my membership?
If you’d like to cancel your membership, please get in touch via email or our Facebook page, or come and see us in person.
Member Terms and conditions
Care of Toys & Containers
Toys are more fun to play with when they’re in good condition. Please return your borrowed toys to us clean, free of sand and dry. Please keep containers, particularly plastic bags, out of reach of children, and give them a clean if they’re dirty. If a container gets broken or becomes badly damaged, we ask that you find a suitable alternative.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, we ask that you refer to the Toy Libraries Australia cleaning guidelines emailed to you, and that you sign the toy cleaning register when you return your toys. If you forget to clean your toys, no problem – just head to the cleaning station in the Toy Library. Thanks for doing your bit to keep us Covid-safe!
What if a toy is damaged or broken?
If you find a toy or container is broken pri