UPDATE 13 JULY: Due to lockdown restrictions being enforced in Melbourne, we have postponed our open sessions for now. In the meantime, and for the duration of the restrictions, click & collect will remain in place. Check the following post for more details on what’s happening during the next few weeks.
Yes! It’s all happening!
After working very hard the past months cleaning and repacking toys, as well as deep cleaning and refurbishing the library, we are super happy to announce that starting Thursday 16 July 2020, the Bayside Toy Library will finally reopen its doors to its lovely community! We are so excited!!!
Here’s some useful information about the return of our open sessions.
SESSIONS
We will reopen with two sessions a week, Thursdays and Saturdays from 9.30-11.30am. These sessions were picked based on your survey responses. We’ll listen to feedback and pending how things travel, we might look at opening a third session another day of the week.
Our last Click & Collect session will be Thursday 9 July. There are still slots open if you wish to book a time.
You won’t need to book an appointment to attend our open sessions, just turn up. In saying that, we can accomodate a maximum of 20 people at a time, so if we reach capacity you might need to wait outside for a bit.
We do ask, if possible, for only one member of your family to attend at a time, to allow more members per session.
We would appreciate, where possible, if our little members could stay home while parens and grandparents pick up their toys. Unfortunately, to comply with COVID-safety guidelines, a number of measures we’ve had to put in place make it not so enticing for kids to attend. For example, all doors and child security gates will be open (to minimise the surfaces members need to touch), we ask that members don’t touch toys unless they intend to borrow them and we can no longer be a Stay and Play destination. If your child does come along, we do ask that they stay with you at all times.
TOY CLEANING
In line with current community expectations and DHHS requirements, we have updated our cleaning guidelines.
In a nutshell, toys need to be thoroughly cleaned before they are returned with a 2 in 1 detergent / disinfectant. Upon returning toys, we will ask you to sign a cleaning declaration that confirms you’ve cleaned your toys in this manner. If you’ve forgotten, there will be a cleaning station out in the foyer to do this before you enter the library.
These cleaning protocols also extend to the bags or boxes the toys are stored in.
Also, as an additional measure, we will continue to leave toys in quarantine for one week before they are available to be borrowed by other members again.
COUNTING TOYS
Pre-COVID, when returning toys all pieces would be counted on the spot and when borrowing toys, members could count pieces before leaving the library.
However, to minimise time at the library and ensure social distancing, there is no longer a counting bench at the library and toys are not to be counted until members get home. When toys are returned, counting will occur within the following week by BTL staff & volunteers. This means if any toys you returned are missing pieces, you will receive an email within seven days of their return advising you of this.
When borrowing toys, please make sure you check and count all pieces in the first 24 hours. If there are missing pieces, please email us immediately, otherwise we will assume the toy was loaned in perfect conditions (and you will be held responsible for the missing pieces.)
VOLUNTEERS
With open sessions coming up, we need our members to resume roster duty, so please head to your online account and pick from one of the available slots. Unfortunately, in line with our COVID-safe guidelines, members will not be able to bring children to their duty session.
GET EXCITED!
Next time you visit, you will find a bunch of changes beyond the new packaging: new layout, new signs, new toys and the usual welcoming vibe. Keep your eyes peeled for a live walkthrough prior to our open on Facebook and Instagram, as well as member photoshoots and some exciting competitions!
We can’t wait to welcome you to the library again.
Much love,
Sarah and the Bayside Toy Library Committee.
