Though we love to see new faces on committee at any time of year, September is a particularly great time to do it. Why? Because that is when we host our Annual General Meeting. Our AGMs are a great opportunity for members to come along and see how the Toy Library is faring, what our goals are for the next twelve months, and meet the existing committee.
At our AGMs we also declare all Committee Positions OPEN! We are always hoping for an injection of fresh talent to help us fill our roles (you can see our committee positions here). If you have existing skills in a particular area, or if you’re eager to learn some new skills in a specific role, we’d love to have you on board as a Positioned Committee Member.
We also welcome those who aren’t up for the time commitment of some of our Positioned Roles. Non-Positioned Committee Members (after their training) complete a minimum of one shift a month, and may choose to attend meetings if they like. Or not!
When you think about the benefits of being a committee member, it’s a pretty fantastic deal. Committee members get:
50% discount on their Toy Library fees
FREE Party Pack hire
NO late fees… ever!
A key to access the toy library
The ability to volunteer and give back to the community with your kids in tow
Resume boosting experience
The opportunity to meet a great bunch of people
This year’s AGM will be held on Tuesday, 7th of September. If restrictions allow, it will be hosted face-to-face in Spring Gully. The meeting will also be accessible via Zoom. If we are unable to meet in person, the meeting will be online using Zoom.
For more information, please send us an email to toys@bendigotoylibrary.org.au or slide into our DMs on Facebook or Instagram.
Bendigo Community Toy Library is excited to launch a Click and Collect Service for all members today.
How to use Click and Collect
Head over to Mibase. If you’ve forgotten your login details, click ‘Forgot your password?’ to have them sent to you.
Once you’ve logged in, select ‘Appointments.’ Appointments are available in 15-minute increments and a maximum of two members can attend, helping us maintain social distancing.
Click ‘Show appointments’ for the time you’d like to book, then ‘Book’ to reserve your time slot.
Now you have your appointment, you can start selecting your toys.
If you would like a Toy Library Committee member to choose your toys for you, please write “Surprise Me!” in the ‘Edit Comment’ box next to your appointment. Your work here is done!
If you’d like to select your own toys, follow the instructions below.
From the top menu, select ‘Toys’ then ‘Search Toys.’ (Don’t select ‘Hire toys’, this is only for toy with a fee, our Party Packs.)
From here, filter to ‘Available’ and set ‘Location’ to ‘Spring Gully’.
From here we suggest you search by category. This may take a little trial and error, as some categories are only used for Long Gully toys. If you click these categories, very few toys will appear. For example, ‘Baby’ is a Long Gully category. ‘Nursery’ is the equivalent Spring Gully category.
By default the toys are in list view, but by clicking the green ‘picture’ button, you can change to picture view.
Click on the toy you want to borrow, then select the red button that says ‘Hold’. If you decide you don’t want it, select ‘Close.’
Keep browsing and holding the toys up to your limit – three for a small membership or six for a large membership. When you have all the toys you’d like, click ‘My Holds’.
You’ll notice that under ‘status’ your toy will say ‘Pending’. This means your toy has not been picked for you yet and you can still delete the toy and add a different one.
However, once a committee member picks your order, ‘Pending’ will change to ‘Ready’ and your order cannot be changed.
And that’s it! Your next job is to arrive at your session at the allotted time. You won’t be able to browse the shelves or enter the toy library at all during your appointment.
Below is a helpful video you can watch. It’s slightly different to the steps outlined above, as the system now requires you to create your appointment first, before holding your toys, but the processes are otherwise the same.
FAQs
What precautions are in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19?
Members are asked to send only one adult to collect toys. If you are unwell, please do not attend. Toys must be cleaned before they are returned. Our volunteers will be wearing masks where practical. All visitors to our Toy Library are asked to sanitise their hands.
I want to hold some toys, but I can’t attend the next session. Can I book for a future session?
We want to ensure as many toys go out as is possible. For that reason, we are only allowing holds one session in advance.
The current session time doesn’t work for me. Any plans for different times?
If the demand is there, the Bendigo Community Toy Library will offer alternate session times in the future. We need your feedback! Send an email to toys@bendigotoylibrary.org.au or contact us on Facebook or Instagram with your preferred session time.
I already have the maximum amount of loans at home. Can I still hold toys?
Yes! Hold your toys up to your maximum amount. Just ensure you are returning your current toys at your appointment.
The toy I placed on hold has been replaced with a substitute – what happened?
Normally before launching this type of service, we would complete a stocktake. As we were unable to do this, there are some discrepancies between our online system and what is actually present on our shelves. Sometimes we may not be able to provide a toy that you have reserved. We will do our best to substitute and we ask for your understanding.
I need to change or cancel my appointment time. How do I do this?
If you need to change your appointment to a different time on the same day, go to ‘Appointments.’ The screen will show your current appointment time and other available times below. Delete your existing appointment and select another available time.
If you are unable to attend on the day, click ‘Appointments’ and then delete your booked appointment. Any holds not able to be picked up at the next available session will be deleted. If the delete option has disappeared, please contact us directly via email toys@bendigotoylibrary.org.au or via Facebook or Instagram.
I really like browsing the shelves for inspiration, and online just isn’t the same! Can I pop inside and look around during my appointment?
We’re afraid not. We are limiting access to the toy library to prevent contamination. You can always ask a volunteer to go inside and have a look for you – our volunteers are toy experts and will be able to unearth some treasure for you.
I haven’t completed a duty in ages! Do you still need helpers?
Our sessions are being entirely run by committee at this stage. We are asking members to help in other ways – posting photos of the toys you borrow on social media and tagging us, referring the Toy Library to your friends, and leaving us a review on Google or Facebook.
I usually visit Long Gully. Will you offer Click and Collect at Long Gully?
If there is sufficient demand, we will consider offering Click and Collect at Long Gully. Reach out to us if this is a service you would use – toys@bendigotoylibrary.org.au or via Facebook or Instagram. Another option we are considering is moving some Long Gully toys across to Spring Gully temporarily to boost our stock.
