Toy Libraries/Toy Loan Programs

Programs available in many communities that maintain a collection of children's playthings, games and equipment that are available on a loan basis to local families. Included are programs that may be a service of regular libraries or separate facilities that are run by individuals, charitable organizations, government agencies or other groups, and toy loan programs that are often associated with local parks. Some toy libraries serve all children, while others focus on providing toys for a particular group such as preschoolers or children with disabilities. Some are free services, while others charge a membership fee. And some are mobile programs that travel from neighborhood to neighborhood on a rotating basis, with local children welcomed to play with the toys in its collection, borrow them to take home, or both.