Membership benefits
How to become a member
Membership types and fees
Conditions of membership
Roster duty
Annual stocktake duty
Annual General Meeting
How many toys?
Borrowing period
Borrowing and returning
Late returns
Looking after the toys
Problems with returned toys
Party pack
Membership benefits
Joining the Whitfords Rainbow Toy Library gives you the opportunity to:
- offer your child a wide variety of high quality toys;
- change toys regularly (children can get bored with the same toy);
- try out toys before you buy, saving money by only purchasing toys you know your child finds enjoyable;
- save money on toys your child will quickly outgrow;
- access a range of age/development appropriate toys;
- save on toy storage and declutter your home;
- help out the environment by reducing waste to landfill; and
- meet and interact with other parents in a friendly and informal setting.
How to become a member
Joining the Whitfords Rainbow Toy Library is easy! Simply read the terms and conditions of membership and fill out the membership application form. If you have any queries, you can email them to
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You are welcome to visit the toy library during opening hours, and the Member in Charge will show you around and explain how it works. You can join the toy library and start borrowing immediately, provided that your membership application form is filled out, your driver’s license is sighted, and the fee is paid. Payment via direct deposit is preferred.
Please note that if the toy library has reached its limit of 100 members, you will be placed on a waiting list and advised when there is a vacancy.
Membership types and fees
There are several membership types you can choose from; annual memberships commencing the calendar or financial year, a no-roster membership and once off short term memberships. Groups (such as playgroups, family daycare) are welcome to inquire by email.
Annual
The cost is $80.00 per calendar year (January-December) or financial year (July-June), or $50.00 if you join after 30 June (July-December). Members have the following obligations: attendance at rostered borrowing sessions, the annual stocktake and the Annual General Meeting.
No Roster/Group
THIS MEMBERSHIP IS CURRENTLY ON HOLD, DUE TO BEING AT CAPACITY FOR THIS MEMBERSHIP TYPE. The borrowing rules for the number of toys you are allowed to borrow is the same as the annual membership. Members have the following obligations: attendance at the Annual General Meeting only.
Short Term
The cost is $40.00 plus a $100 cash deposit. The membership is for four weeks only and the borrowing rules for the number of toys you are allowed to borrow is the same as the annual membership. There are no obligations. This membership is aimed at people who want to trial the toy library or have children visiting for a short period of time, such as grandchildren visiting grandparents for the holidays.
Conditions of membership
As part of the annual membership, each member is required to:
- attend up to four rosters (Saturdays, 8:45 am – 11:15 am) and assist with the returning and borrowing of toys to members;
- attend the Annual General Meeting in February; and
- participate in the annual stocktake in August (two hours).
The toy library is run by its members, so the above requirements are essential for the smooth running of the toy library.
If you will find it difficult to meet one or all of these obligations, a representative (eg. another family member) can fill in on your behalf.
After one year of being a toy library member, members are trained to be a Member in Charge. A Member in Charge is responsible for opening and closing up the toy library, assisting the members on duty, and dealing with any issues that may arise.
The full terms and conditions of membership of the toy library can be viewed here.
Roster duty
Members may be rostered for up to four sessions per year. Members have the opportunity to select what dates they would like to do their roster/s, by advising the Roster Secretary.
The roster is sent electronically to members four times a year, a few weeks before the first date of the roster. It contains the names and contact details of the members on duty for each week. There are between two and four members on duty each week. Roster duty is from 8:45 am to 11:15 am, to help the Member in Charge set up and close the toy library.
If a member cannot make their roster date, it is their responsibility to arrange a swap with another member. Members are required to advise the Member in Charge for that date and the Roster Secretary of all swaps they have organised.
Otherwise, there is a $20 non-attendance fine.
Annual stocktake duty
Each year over a weekend in August, the toy library undertakes a stocktake of all items. Members are required to attend a two hour session on either the Saturday or Sunday between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm. All items are cleaned, labels are checked and re-printed if necessary, broken toys are repaired, and old toys are taken out of circulation.
If a member (or representative) cannot attend that particular weekend in August, members can choose to do pre-stocktake activities, during the toy library opening hours, in the lead up to stocktake.
Otherwise, there is a $20 non-attendance fine or an additional roster duty on a Saturday morning.
Annual General Meeting
The toy library’s Annual General Meeting is held in February each year. During this meeting the year is summarised and the committee positions are filled for the upcoming year. In addition old toys set aside from stocktake are sold by auction to members. All members of the toy library are expected to attend this meeting.
How many toys?
Members can borrow up to eight items at any one time, comprising of four items from the ‘Activity; ‘Baby’, ‘Construction’, ‘Discovery’, ‘Imagination’, ‘Music’ and ‘Ride-ons’ categories, and four items from the ‘Dress-ups’, ‘Games’, ‘Parent Resources’ and ‘Puzzles’ categories.
Borrowing period
The borrowing period is three weeks, however toys can be returned sooner. If the due date falls on a public holiday weekend or the Annual General Meeting, then the due date is extended to the following Saturday.
Members may borrow toys over the Christmas/New Year closure period provided their membership fees have been paid for the following year.
Borrowing and returning
Borrowing
Borrowing toys is easy!
We have the option of Click and Collect via our online database, members are provided a login to select their toys and book in a date and time to pick their toys up.
Members are still welcome to come in and browse through the shelves of the toy library room. Toys are grouped on the shelves according to the toy categories (eg. Activity, Baby, Construction, etc).
Apart from the ride ons, each toy is stored in a plastic container or mesh bag and has a coloured label detailing all the parts/pieces to that toy.
When borrowing a toy it is the member’s responsibility to ensure that:
- all the pieces listed on the toy label are with the toy (ie you need to count the pieces);
- the toy is in good condition and not damaged; and
- the toy is appropriate for the development of their child/children.
Returning
Members are asked to return cleaned, dry and checked toys, and email if there are any issues.
The member on duty will return the toys to the storeroom to be quarantined for one week.
Late returns
The fine is $1.00 per item, per week late, for all toys.
In the current COVID situation we are allowing toys to be borrowed for six weeks and will not apply a fine for those who are needing to hold onto their toys for a longer period.
Looking after the toys
Members should ensure that all toys borrowed are returned in a clean and hygienic state.
The toy library is committed to offering safe, clean and well maintained toys at all times.
Members should advise a member on duty when borrowing or returning their toys if there are any issues with the toys, for example if it has a broken piece or if it is faulty, so it can be set aside to be repaired.
If the toy is battery operated, members are not required to provide new batteries for the toy.
Problems with returned toys
Lost piece
If a member loses a piece of a toy, the toy can be re-borrowed for one week to see if the piece can be found.
If the member cannot find the piece after re-borrowing, they can replace the missing piece themselves, provided that the replacement is an equivalent and suitable substitute. In addition, the toy library has a spare parts box where an appropriate replacement may be found. Otherwise there is a fine of $3.00 per piece.
Please note that if a piece/part is expensive or crucial to the toy, the Toy Repairer/Committee will determine if the member has to pay replacement costs.
If the member finds and returns the piece, the fine is refunded.
Damaged toy
It is the member’s responsibility to look after the toy library’s toys as if they were their own.
If there is damage to the toy (or packaging), please advise a member on duty when returning the toy of the damage, so that the toy is set aside for the Toy Repairer. If minor repairs are all that is needed, appropriate glues are available at the toy library and repairs can be done by the member returning the toy or a member on duty.
Please note that if the damaged piece/part is expensive or crucial to the toy and cannot be fixed, the Toy Repairer/Committee will determine if the member has to pay replacement costs.
Party pack
Members can hire the toy library’s ‘party pack’ for a small fee of $20.00.
The party pack is managed by the toy library's Party Pack Coordinator and is a great addition to any party. It contains games (egg and spoon race, magnet darts, pin the tail on the donkey, sack race, limbo, ring toss, twister scram, croquet), a roller coaster, agility ladder, pop up tunnels, parachute, and bubble machine. In addition there is a sturdy fold up rectangular table that seats eight little people with eight colourful chairs. Click here to view the party pack.
