Lewisham Toy Library Terms and Conditions

All Lewisham Toy Library (“LTL”) members are bound by and agree to our Terms and Conditions as follows:

Becoming a member of LTL

  1. Anyone living in Lewisham or nearby may become a member of LTL for a fee, which entitles you to borrow items at no additional cost. An ‘item’ is any kind of toy, party or play equipment in our collection (mobility equipment is not included).  
  2. The membership fee must be paid on becoming a member and you will be invited to renew every 6 or 12 months 
  3. LTL is a charity with limited resources, which does not rely on a regular grant from the council and depends on membership fees to enable it to run the service. The fees (which are kept as reasonable as possible) are published on our website (www.lewishamtoylibrary.org.uk) and are subject to change at the trustees’ sole discretion. Any changes will be communicated in advance to members.
  4. You may become a member in person at LTL or online. To become a member, you will need to provide the following identification (as applicable):
    • Individuals/families: Two personal identification (ID) documents. One should be photographic (such as a driving licence or passport) and a second ID should show your current address (such as a council tax or utilities bill). If you become a member online, you must show us this ID in person at LTL before you can use our services.
    • Where you are applying for a discounted membership, in addition to the documents referred to in Clause 4(a), you must also provide proof that you are receiving Universal Credit.
    • Childminders: Your childminding certificate. 
    • Organisations: A person duly authorised by the organisation must bring in a copy of the group’s letterhead.

 

Borrowing toys 

  1. You may borrow up to 5 items, each for up to 4 weeks. You are only entitled to borrow one large item at one time (identified by the prefix ‘L’ in the item identification code).
  2. A member organisation may borrow up to 12 items, for up to 4 weeks each. It is entitled to borrow up to 6 large items at one time.
  3. Where included, the librarian will ensure the batteries are working when an item is borrowed.  However, no guarantee is given that batteries will last for the duration of the loan period. 

 

Returns and Renewals

  1. You must renew or return items to LTL by closing time on the return date (or the earliest prior opening date if that date is a public holiday). If you keep items beyond that date, you will be charged a late fee at current rates (including for days on which the shop is not open). Fees for overdue toys are published on our website and in-store. 
  2. We endeavour to check all toys in-store at the point of return but, if this is not possible and later we discover that there is a missing or damaged toy/part then we may contact you regarding the condition of your returned toys.
  3. Unless it has been reserved by another borrower, an item may be renewed by telephone or email for 2 further periods of 4 weeks without being returned to LTL. If you want to renew the item for a further period, you must bring it to LTL to be re-issued.
  4. Subject to ordinary wear and tear (judged entirely at the librarian’s sole discretion), items must be returned in the same condition as they were borrowed, clean and in a good state of repair. Toys and equipment are checked and cleaned on return.
  5. Battery-operated toys will be checked on their return. Whilst members are not expected to replace batteries, we ask that you consider replacing them to contribute to our operating costs. You are expected to ensure you do not dispose of rechargeable batteries. 
  6. LTL will not accept a returned item with missing parts. Members are responsible for checking toys before you return them. LTL will grant an extra two weeks beyond the original 4 week loan period to bring back item with all its parts. After that, LTL reserves the right to charge a fine equal to the reasonable replacement costs of the toy. 

 

Responsibility for Loss or Damage

  1. We understand that children’s toys do occasionally get damaged, and we do not charge for minor (cosmetic) damage or ordinary wear and tear. You are responsible for reporting any loss or damage as soon as possible.
  2. You are responsible for any loss or damage to items that you have borrowed.   
  3. LTL reserves the right to will charge a fine equal to the reasonable replacement or repair costs of the toy and all broken, missing or damaged toys will incur a minimum £5 charge. 
  4. LTL reserves the right to reject replacements for lost items if they do not meet the value of the lost item 
  5. Decisions and charges are at the sole discretion of LTL staff. If you disagree with the decision, you are welcome to write to the trustees at admin@lewishamtoylibrary.org.uk and we will be happy to consider your feedback. 

 

Your membership 

If a member has:

  • any outstanding charges;
  • any overdue items; or
  • not paid for or replaced a lost or damaged item,

LTL reserves the right to (i) prevent a member from borrowing further items; or (ii) if appropriate, to cancel a member’s membership.

  1. You must notify LTL of any change of name, address or other contact details as soon as possible.
  2. If for any reason you want to cancel your membership, you should notify LTL in writing before your membership renews. You will remain responsible for any outstanding items or charges despite the cancellation of your membership.
  3. All members are invited to attend the Annual General Meeting (AGM) which is held online or in-store, subject to the decision of the Chair of Trustees, and invites will be sent annually via email and social media. 

 

Your visit

  1. When on LTL premises you agree to:
    • Take responsibility for your children and/or those in your care at all times.
    • As long as LTL is running on an appointment system, arrive and leave on time. We will not be able to serve you if you do not have an appointment with us
  2. Observe our Equalities Policy (on our website) by not speaking or behaving in a discriminatory or anti-social way towards others, particularly staff and volunteers.
    • Ensure that no property is damaged by you, your child(ren) or anyone in your care.
    • Treat all people in the Library, especially children, with care and respect.
    • Be respectful of our terms and conditions and of the staff who are implementing them.
  3. LTL reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to cancel your membership or appointment or any related privilege without further notice should you fail to comply with any of the obligations.

 

Party Hire

  1. The party hire item(s) are subject to these terms and conditions.
  2. The party hire item(s) have a separate hiring period and pricing structure, which can be found on our website or in-store.
  3. Party hire prices are subject to change at the discretion of the librarians and the trustees, and will be communicated on our website and in-store.
  4. The party hire item(s) are subject to a refundable deposit, taken at the time of booking, which secures the item(s). The deposit will be refunded to you upon return of the party hire item(s). The deposit will be withheld, at the librarian’s sole discretion, if:
    • an item is returned after the agreed return date, without the prior agreement of the librarian; and/or
    • the item is lost or damaged.

     

Complaints

  1. Should you wish to dispute any fines or request to replace a broken toy from the Librarian, you will need to address a request/complaint form to the board of trustees who will provide a response as soon as practicable. 

 

Safety

When using items borrowed from us you agree to ensure:

  • that only children of an appropriate age play with them;
  • the health and safety of any child playing with them;
  • the toys you borrow are stored and cared for appropriately whilst in your possession.

LTL excludes any liability for loss, injury or damage to persons/property except in respect of death or personal injury resulting from any negligence of LTL.

You agree to inform LTL as soon as possible if you have any reason to believe that any of our items are or may soon become unsafe in any way.

 

Equal opportunities

  1. Members will receive equal access to toys available regardless of ethnicity, gender, disability or ability. 
  2. Staff and trustees will endeavour to ensure that the toys reflect changing needs and represent the community across the Lewisham Borough, although this is dependent on the availability of funding.
  3. Incidents of racism, prejudice or discrimination will result in termination of membership.

 

Data Protection

  1. The information provided on this or any forms concerning your membership will be processed in accordance with data protection principles as set out in the GDPR 2018 (see our Privacy and Data Protection Policy on our website). 
  2. We may ask for specific details about your children (age, interests, gender etc) so that we can analyse our members’ needs and provide information to funders. 
  3. In summary, data will be processed only to ensure that Lewisham Toy Library has relevant records of its membership and the items borrowed. The personal information provided will not be used for any other purpose unless legally required. Aggregated statistical data which cannot be traced back to you may be used for analysis and reporting.

 

Reviewed by the board October 2023