The Open Toy Box was set up in 1995 by a group of parents within Grey Lynn. We are a not-for-profit organisation with charitable status and are a part of the Toy Library Federation of New Zealand. Our library is open Wed 9.30am – 11am and Sat 9.30am – 11:30am. You are very welcome to visit the library to see if it is something you would be interested in joining during an open session. This is a community toy library, run by our community for our community. ◾There are three types of membership: rostered, full subscription or community services card (CSC). ◾Rostered and CSC members work in the library on 3 sessions during the year. You help to check in returned toys, keep the shelves tidy and do various odd jobs to help us keep the library running. Rostered duties are a fantastic way to see all the toys on offer in the library, to meet other people in your community, and to get to see how the library works. One of the perks of working a duty is that you can set aside for your own loan any toy that takes your fancy as it comes in through the returns desk. ◾A professional librarian works at each session and is in charge of opening and closing the library, organising the volunteers and handling all loans, payments, refunds and so forth. ◾Once you’ve joined up you can come into the library whenever it is open and return and/or borrow toys. ◾At any one time you can have up to four toys out (or three for those who have yet to complete their volunteer duties) – there is no restriction on the type or size of toys you can take. ◾Toys are borrowed for up to two weeks at a time. ◾There is no cost for the loan of any of the toys once you are a member, except over the summer holiday period when we are closed and hire out our larger toys to our members for a fixed price. ◾You are responsible for returning the toys clean and dry, and for taking care of them when at your home. The membership fee structure is detailed on our website. Over the years membership has ranged between 90 and 140 families. At 140 families we consider ourselves to be fully subscribed; more than this would compromise the availability of a range of toys for our member families. We do not receive any government funding. We are funded through our members subscription fees, fundraising activities and grants that we apply for to help raise any additional money we need to maintain and improve our selection of toys, pay for our librarians, our rent on the use of our premises and our other running costs. Many hands make light work, and thanks to the enthusiasm and community spirit of so many of our members over the years, The Open Toy Box is a vibrant, lively community resource loved and appreciated by many families in the area. The Open Toy Box is run and managed by a group of volunteer members who form the management committee. To learn more about who we are and how to join the committee, please email us via our website http://greylynntoylibrary.wordpress.com/