Melbourne Community Toy Library

22/02/2024

Are you looking for something to do with your family next weekend?

Some of our former toy library committee members and staff will be helping out running the toy stall at the Carlton North Primary School Fete!

The Great Lee Street Fete is a day of family, community, and most importantly - fun!

All the details you need:
Sunday 3 March
10am - 4pm.

There will be a variety of Stalls including Books, Clothes, Cakes, Craft and Plants, a Silent Auction, Kids Rides & Activities, Animal Petting Zoo, Live Entertainment, and fabulous Food & Drinks.

There will also be an all day chill-out zone, and low noise hour before 11am which is perfect for kids (and adults) who are hoping for a calmer environment.

Carlton North Primary School

10/09/2023

Attention Bluey Fans - Donation incoming!

Thanks to everyone who made a gold coin donation during our closing down toy sales. Between those funds and our petty cash we have managed to purchase these fun Bluey playsets. We'll be donating these to City of Melbourne Libraries for the toy libraries. We hope you enjoy borrowing them once they are added to the library catalogue.

Over coming months we will be spending our small remaining funds and donating things we hope will benefit the community for years to come.

18/08/2023

The current location of the toy library in North Melbourne is going to be redeveloped into what sounds like a fantastic community hub for North Melbourne.

Unsurprisingly, there is no mention of what will happen to the toy library. The same issue happened with the redevelopment of the Kensington Recreation Centre, and Kensington families lost their local toy library. If you're a North Melbourne resident, or someone who uses the toy library in North Melbourne then we encourage you to get involved in the consultation process at this early stage so that council hears that the community values a toy library in North Melbourne, and are motivated to ensure that this service is also relocated and space is made for it in the new community hub.

Tell us what services and spaces you want to see in the new centre.

17/07/2023

The best email a toy library enthusiast could ask for!

17/07/2023

Our former toy library branches at Carlton and North Melbourne are reopen!

Hours at Carlton are very similar, and hours at North Melbourne have been tweaked. Hours at both branches have been extended. Come back in, borrow and play!

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=664756842342279&id=100064239086984&mibextid=Nif5oz

15/07/2023

There's a new library opening in the city of Melbourne. Follow the link to fill in the short survey about what you'd like to see in it.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=663787049105925&id=100064239086984&mibextid=Nif5oz

02/07/2023

Farewell MCTL!

Today we had our final official MCTL event - a thank you party for our volunteers. Our volunteers range in age from 16 to retirees, and each one has made their own special contribution. Thank you to everyone who made it, it was great to see you all, and I loved that everyone was still keen to chip in and help. The place was looking pretty empty and quiet by the time Ruth and I left, and it definitely feels like the end of an era.

Whilst our youngest committee baby had a sleep in a ring sling, we reflected on the last 7 and a bit years I have spent involved with MCTL. This committee has been fairly consistent over the last 2-3 years, and we have all been united around a shared vision. Between Emily W and I (Emily C) we have been president for 6 of those years. Special shout out to Sebastian and Lauren who carried the load for the other 1.5 years. There are so many volunteers who have kept our organisation alive over the last 22 years, whether it be on the committee, or volunteering in branches and every single one of our staff members have also contributed hours of volunteer work.

There is still lots of work to be done, but the toy library space is no longer ours. For now, we are an organisation without a home, but with friendships that will hopefully last for years to come.

27/06/2023

Legacy Project!

One of the deeply held wishes of the committee and staff has been to better organise the toy collection into sturdy boxes, with photos/pictures on the front so it is easy to see what is in there. Today our pile of about 200-300 boxes arrived, ready for volunteers to start the process. These are funded by a volunteer grant we got from the State Govt and will make life easier for families and volunteers.

Any money left after we have paid out staff entitlements and liabilities will be re-invested into the new toy library in the form of toys, rugs, cushions and other exciting bits and bobs. We may not be community run for very much longer, but the evidence of what our community has achieved will continue on.

Onwards and upwards!

24/06/2023

What a surreal day!

We are now officially closed and entering the next stage of our journey. Particular thanks today to our incredible staff Inderjeet, Harshali and Ruth. We were also lucky today to have the support of our regular volunteers - Diya, Navya and Maureen. It has been such a joy working with you, and you should be proud of everything we have achieved. We now begin the process of closing down our organisation and transitioning the toy libraries and most of their assets to the City of Melbourne.

It feels strange to be both 'done', and still have a whole lot of work ahead of us. The next two weeks will be particularly busy, and there is quite a lot still to do.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by today at our 3 branches to return toys, play and say thanks. Over the last few years, building community has been our main focus, and it is so nice to see everything finish on a high.

23/06/2023

The final day is upon us!

Tomorrow (Saturday) is our last day of operation. It's an emotional time for our staff and volunteers, and while we know the toy library will reopen on the 17th July in the capable hands of Melbourne City Council, the process of staffing the new libraries is ongoing.

So, tomorrow - please return your toys!!!!

And while you do, please take time to thank our incredible staff and volunteers for the impact they have had on our community. We know that many families get excited about coming to visit our toy librarians, and kids enjoy sharing highlights of their weeks. Our paid staff throughout the years have always worked many additional hours as volunteers to keep our little library running and have gone so far above and beyond their paid responsibilities. Their passion for community building and supporting families is tremendous.

Our committee average somewhere between 50-100 hours of volunteer work per month (someone has to keep the back end running), and our regular session and working bee volunteers over the last few years have helped us to transform all 3 libraries and create something that is truly special.

Thank you all for your work! We'll still keep using this page during the next month of transition and as we wrap up the organisation. If you see a message from us via Mibase then please take the time to read it, there may be a need for member involvement as we close the doors on this chapter, and look forward to the next iteration of Toy Libraries in the City of Melbourne.

21/06/2023

Satisfaction!

(Disclaimer: mostly parent completed)

Just a reminder to be gentle with staff and volunteers during this last week. Our part-time staff are still employed by us to help wrap up the MCTL, but neither we, nor they know whether they will be here when we reopen. While we know parents see the toy library as a valuable service, it has been run for the last 22 years by parents of young children, supported in recent years by a broader pool of volunteers. The volunteer committee, staff and volunteer have worked to make this a welcoming service and there are mixed feelings as we say good bye.

We understand that some people may find it challenging to return their toys in the time frame, and are happy to work with you to find a solution.

In these times of change, we ask you to focus on the positives of what this volunteer organisation has provided to your family, stick with us, and please, be kind.

20/06/2023

Happy Hump Day!

Today is our last Wednesday session at Carlton. All toys must be returned this week to arrange for a transition to the new, FREE service that will start mid July. Even if you have returned your toys already, families are welcome to pop in for a play. We hope to see you there!