Draft:Toy Libraries Australia
| Abbreviation | TLA |
|---|---|
| Founded at | Melbourne, Victoria |
| Type | Nonprofit |
| Location |
|
CEO | Debbie Williams[1] |
Main organ | Committee |
| Funding | Federal and state governments, memberships |
| Website | toylibraries |
Formerly called | Toy Libraries Association of Victoria, Toy Libraries Victoria |
Toy Libraries Australia are a not-for-profit organisation[2] which serves as the governing body for volunteer-run toy libraries within Australia.
Toy Libraries Australia started in 1977 as the Toy Libraries Association of Victoria, uniting five Victorian toy libraries.[3] The name was changed to Toy Libraries Victoria in 2000, and then to Toy Libraries Australia in 2012.[4][5]
TLA supports over 280 toy libraries in Australia,[6] 130 of which are in Melbourne.[5] In 2020, toy library memberships in toy libraries supported by TLA was over 130,000 families.[7]
In 2024, the Australian Federal Government provided AU$2.3million of funding to Toy Libraries Australia.[6] However, government funding is not continuous and the main stable income comes from membership fees.[5] Toy Libraries Australia is primarily volunteer run, with two paid staff members.[2]
Toy Libraries Australia won the Marie Claire Sustainability Award in the "parenting" category in 2024.[8]
In March 2025, TLA announced grants for toy libraries to support them in being more accessible for children with disabilities, in particular ADHD and autism.[9] The grants are intended to help toy libraries run as low-sensory sessions, increase volunteer and staff training, buy specialised toys, and set up a mobile toy library in Western Australia.[10]
References
[edit]- ^ "Borrowing boom for toy libraries as cost-of-living pressure hits families". CHILD Magazines. 2023-03-03. Retrieved 2025-04-18.
- ^ a b Rigby, Mark; O'Toole, Kate (2017-05-22). "Toy libraries stop plastic treasures becoming trash-pile terrors". ABC News. Retrieved 2025-04-10.
- ^ Sarwal, Amit. "Do you know about toy libraries in Australia?". SBS Language. Retrieved 2025-04-10.
- ^ Media, Ripefruit. "Toy Libraries Australia". Only Melbourne. Retrieved 2025-04-18.
- ^ a b c Mont, Oksana (2025-03-18), "Assessing sharing of household goods: tool and toy sharing in Melbourne and Toronto", Understanding the Urban Sharing Economy, Edward Elgar Publishing, pp. 110–130, ISBN 978-1-0353-2054-7, retrieved 2025-04-10
- ^ a b Lucas, Freya (2025-03-10). "Additional funding for Toy Libraries". The Sector. Retrieved 2025-04-10.
- ^ Prosser, Candice (2023-12-18). "Nearly $30m worth of toys in Australian libraries help parents keep living costs down". ABC News. Retrieved 2025-04-10.
- ^ "VOLVO Sustainability Awards 2024". marie claire. Retrieved 2025-04-10.
- ^ Lucas, Freya (2024-02-12). "More funding for playgroups and toy libraries". The Sector. Retrieved 2025-04-18.
- ^ "New funding for toy libraries to support children with disabilities". Disability Insider. 2025-03-06. Retrieved 2025-04-18.