Toy LibrariesBuilding and Planning for Sustainment

Prepared by: Courtney Joris, Hons. BA, MLIS

Southern Alberta Library Conference

March 20, 2015

Agenda1. Background2. Introduction to Toy Libraries3. Toy Libraries and Public Library Services4. Developing a Toy Library• Collection Planning • Toy Selection • Acquisition• Organization and Classification• Awareness and Promotion• Sustainment

5. Conclusions and Questions

Background

Coaldale Public Library - Toy Library Revitalization Project

o Toy Library first opened in January 2005

o Revitalization Project took place from (roughly) May to Sept. 2014

o Goals: purchase new toys, create new labels, create a print and/or digital catalogue

Introduction to Toy Libraries

Intro to Toy Libraries: Origins

• First Toy Library– Los Angeles, 1935– Response to Great Depression

• Movement took off 1960s/70s

• Play opportunities regardless of ability or financial resources Some of the first toy library items,

1935“WPA: Toy Repair Projects” by U.S National Archives CC BY 2.0

Toy Libraries in Canada

• Canada’s first toy library opened in 1975, followed by the Canadian Association of Toy Libraries (CATL)

• Joanna von Levetzow’s vision of toy libraries:

“community places, drop-in centres for children and their families and a place for new Canadians or new

parents to meet and improve their own and their children’s lives through greater access to and

understanding of play”

Common Models

• FRPs: Family Resource Programs– Parent Link Centres

• “Indie” Toy Libraries– Operated by groups of parent-volunteers

• Third sector, NGO-run toy libraries– Example, In2Play a UK-based play advocacy org.

with a ToyBus

Toy Libraries and Public Library Services

Getting into the returns by Virginia Beach Public Library CC BY 2.0

Challenges

• Challenges in circulation and maintenance

• Belief that toys and play distract from reading (held by some)– Columbus Metropolitan Public Library, 1993

BenefitsBenefits to Patrons• Take toys for a test-run• Teaches responsibility• Access for those on

tighter budgets; removes economic barriers

• Access to specialty, adaptive toys

• Access to costly baby equipment

Benefits to Libraries• Programming

inspiration or reinvigoration

• Strengthen Relationships with other orgs.

• Fosters a love of the library in children

Connections

• Symbolic Play and Literacy Development are closely linked

• Library Mission/Values: – supporting early literacy– Library Bill of Rights: access to ideas, information, enlightenment

• Provision of toys and play is a natural extension of these values

• Toys = Diverse Play Opportunities = Early Literacy Support

A final thought on connections…

“Play develops the foundation of intellectual, social, physical, and emotional skills necessary

for success in school and in life; it paves the way for learning…”

Developing a Toy Library

“1976 Little Construction Vehicles “by JD HancockCC BY 2.0

Developing a Toy Library

1.Collection Planning• Understanding Needs• Determining Scope• Developing Goals

Collection Planning

• Understanding Needs/Interests– Community input: asking patrons and residents

– Existing services and organizations: compliment rather than compete with

– People in the know: early childhood educators, teachers, library staff, volunteers

Collection Planning

• Determining Scope• What do you want your toy library to look like

– in terms of the type of toys, the size of the collection?

• Who will it cater to– in terms of age, ability?

• What won’t it include? What’s “out of scope”?

Collection Planning

• Developing Goals– “I want our toy library to….”

– Linked to your needs and scope

Developing a Toy Library

1.Collection Planning2.Selection• Develop Selection Guidelines• Learn about play preferences• Look to ratings, reviews, rankings• Build a wish-list• Create a budget

Toy Selection

Develop Toy Selection Guidelines

1. Appeal2. Durability and Quality3. Maintenance4. Safety5. Creative Play and Diversity

Toy Selection

Additional factors:

1. Public demand and positive reviews2. Circulation in member libraries3. Price and availability of funding

Toy Selection• Research about play preferences for each age/

stage of development

– U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CSPC) Age Determination Guidelines

– Early Childhood Learning Knowledge Centre (Canadian Council on Learning)

– The American Journal of Play – open access

Toy Selection

• Ratings, reviews, rankings of the year’s best toys from authoritative sources

– Consumer Reports– Canadian Toy Testing Council– Customer Reviews on retailer and manufacturer

websites– Toy Retailer Gift Guides

Toy Selection

• Build a wish-list

• Create a budget – Leave wiggle-roomfor new discoveries

Developing a Toy Library

1. Collection Planning2. Selection3. Acquisition (Toy Shopping!)• Tips• Sources• Brands• Adaptive and Adaptable toys

Acquisition

• Start early and shop “widely”

• Take advantage of bargains– Scholar’s Choice and other educational stores –

10-20% discount for teachers and librarians/libraries

– Consignment stores for larger, gently-used items

Acquisition• Brick and mortar:

– Monkey Mountain (Okotoks)– Mastermind Toys (Calgary)– Discovery Hut (Calgary)– Fantaztic Learning (Lethbridge)– Forever Toys (Cross Iron Mills, Calgary)– That Kids Store (formerly New2U Kids) (Lethbridge)

• Online retailers – Amazon, Fat Brain Toys

• Classroom catalogues – Scholastic, Wintergreen

• Discovery Toys- a direct-sales company

Acquisition

– Bruder– Hape– TOMY– Le Toy Van

Some brands to consider:

Acquisition• Adaptive Toys

• Sources:– Enabling Devices- specializes in adaptive

toys– Fat Brain Toys- lists adaptive toys

• Tips:– Retain funds for future purchases based

on patron request– Consider versatile, adaptable toys– Guide to adaptable toys

Enabling Devices’ VI Shapes Puzzle with Braille

Jr. Tangle Classic, from Child TherapyToys

Developing a Toy Library1. Collection Planning2. Selection3. Acquisition4. Classification and Organization• Classification Systems• Labelling• Cataloguing• Organizing Materials• Storing Materials

Classification and OrganizationToy Classification System– Is it easy for patrons to use and navigate?

Lego Librarian by Musgo Dumio_Momio CC BY 2.0

Classification and Organization

The ESAR SystemExcercises/Symboliques/Assemblages/Règles Simple

The British ABC SystemActivityBaby/BeginnerCo-ordinationDiscriminationExpressionFunGamesJigsaws

Classification and Organization

• Classify by age groupings:– 0-12 mos– 12-24 mos.– 2-4 years– 4-8 years– 8+ years

• Simple numbering system

Classification and Organization

Red: Art and MusicOrange: BuildingYellow: WheelsGreen: Sport/ActivityBlue: Literacy/Numeracy/Science/Skills (Learning)Deep Blue/Indigo: Puzzles and GamesViolet: Baby ToysMagenta/Pink: PretendingAquamarine: Figures and Play setsGrey: Baby Gear

Classification and Organization

Classification and Organization

Anatomy of a label (2-sided):

FRONT BACK

Recommended Age

Category

ID#

Special features/characteristics

Number of pieces/ List of all pieces

Toy name

Classification and OrganizationCataloguing• Print: – Great for in-library browsing– Some routes to take:• Microsoft Word document• Scrapbook-style - transfer information from your labels

into a book• Microsoft Publisher document linked to Excel

spreadsheet

Classification and Organization

Classification and OrganizationCataloguing• Digital: – Integrate images with

existing OPAC records• Need to host images

online, embed link in MARC record

– Consider software, such as Libratu (toy library management software)

Classification and Organization

Organizing and Storing Materials

Classification and Organization

Storing Materials – Additional OptionsPlastic Kit Bags

Cloth bags

Plastic bins

Developing a Toy Library

1. Collection Planning2. Selection3. Acquisition4. Classification and Organization5. Awareness and Promotion• Announcing Toy Library• Grand Opening• Ongoing Promotion

Awareness and Promotion

• Announcing your toy library:– Local media• newspapers, newsletters

– Library’s social media, website– Print information• brochures, info. sheets made available in library and

other community spaces

– Talk to people: • community leaders, partners, and those who have

helped along the way

Awareness and Promotion• Host a Grand Opening Event – promote, promote, promote!• Some considerations:

– Invitees– Program– Activities– Refreshments– Prizes– Music and Decorations

Coaldale Library’s Grand Re-opening

Awareness and Promotion

• Ongoing Promotion– Tie into a themed display

– Incorporate building toys into programming

– Host a library event centred around play• ParticipAction’s “Longest Day of Play” (June 21)

Developing a Toy Library

1. Collection Planning2. Selection3. Acquisition4. Classification and Organization5. Awareness and Promotion6. Sustainment• Challenges• Policies• Procedures• Collection Management Strategies

Sustainment

• Challenges to sustainment:– More involved check-in process– Missing pieces, damaged pieces– Higher-maintenance

…this is where a good Policy and Procedures Manual comes in!

Sustainment

• Procedures– Check in, Check out– Missing piece, damaged toy– Label creation– How to update catalogue

• Additional documents– Guidelines for fine amounts– Recipes for cleaning solutions or recommended cleaning

products– Master list of locations for important documents and

materials for collection management

Sustainment

• Policies– Visiting policy• Informs patrons of expectations in terms of behaviour

– Borrowing policy• Establishes set lending periods, fine amounts for late

toys and expectations for returning toys

– Collection development• Protects intellectual freedom, protects collection from

challenges• Passes important knowledge onto future toy librarians

SustainmentCollection Management Strategies:

• Keeping spare parts/extra pieces• Keeping track of changes to a toy• Have equipment on hand• Keeping track of cleaning/repair needs• Schedule collection maintenance

Conclusions

• Collection Planning – needs, scope, goals• Toy Selection – have guidelines, dig for information• Acquisition – start early, shop widely• Organization and Classification – consider

accessibility and visibility• Awareness and Promotion– host an opening,

involve toys in displays, programs, future events• Sustainment– policies, procedures, collection

management strategies

Involve others, get creative, and have fun!

Questions? Comments?

Contact me: Courtney Joris courtneym.joris@gmail.com

“Stormtrooper Garden Party” by clement127 CC BY 2.0

ReferencesALA Council. (1996). Library Bill of Rights. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/advocacy/sites/ala.org.advocacy/files/content/intfreedom/librarybill/lbor.pdf

Canadian Association of Family Resource Programs. (1995). The Canadian toy library handbook, Part 1. Ottawa, ON: The Canadian Association of Family Resource Programs.

Dominguez, A., Ziviani, J. & Rodger, S. (2006) Play behaviours and object preferences of young children with autistic disorder in a clinical play environment. Autism 10(1), 53-68.

FRP Canada. About us. Retrieved from http://www.frp.ca/index.cfm?fuseaction=Page.viewPage&pageId=1241.

Hektoen, F. & Rinehart, J. (Eds.). (1975). Toys to go: A guide to the use of realia in public libraries. Stamford, Connecticut: Connecticut Realia Committee.

Hewes,P.J. (2006). Let the children play: Nature’s answer to early learning. Early Childhood Learning Knowledge Centre. Retrieved from http://www.ccl-cca.ca/pdfs/ECLKC/lessons/Originalversion_LessonsinLearning.pdf

International Toy Library Association (ITLA). About toy libraries. Retrieved from http://www.itla-toylibraries.org/pages/toy_libraries/.

References cont’d.Moore, J.E. (1995). A history of toy lending libraries in the United States since 1935 (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from ERIC, http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED390414.pdf/.

Nicholson, S. (2013). Playing in the past: A history of games, toys, and puzzles in North American libraries. The Library Quarterly, 83(4), 341-361. http://scottnicholson.com/pubs/playinginthepast.pdf

The Strong National Museum of Play. The American Journal of Play. Retrieved from http://www.journalofplay.org/.

Therrell, J.A. (2002). Age determination guidelines: Relating children’s ages to toy characteristics and play behaviour. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Retrieved from http://www.cpsc.gov//PageFiles/113962/adg.pdf

Western Australian Association of Toy Libraries (WAATL). (2010). A guide to starting and running a community-based toy library. Retrieved from http://www.toylibrary.asn.au/downloads/Manual-setting-up-and-running-a-toy-library.pdf.

Additional Image Sources• Slide 26:

– “VI Puzzle with Braille.” Retrieved from Enabling Devices http://enablingdevices.com/catalog/toys_for_disabled_children/blocks-puzzles/vi-shapes-puzzle-with-braille

– “Jr. Tangle Classic” Retrieved from Childtherapytoys.com http://www.childtherapytoys.com/store/product9255.html

• Slide 35 (left to right): – Home Ec Project #2 by Nancy L. Stockdale CC BY 2.0– Reading Rainbow Bags by anneheathen CC BY 2.0– Fabric Stash by Camille Turcotte CC BY 2.0

• Slides 43 and 44 from Coaldale Public Library Facebook Page