Frequently Asked Questions

We have a great range of over 700 toys for ages zero to six. Toys include ride-ons, role play toys (cooking, medicine, construction etc), musical toys, infant and toddler toys, water and sand toys, train sets and dress ups.

You can hire out up to five toys for three weeks. Once you are a member there is no cost to hire toys. Toys returned a week or more overdue will incur a fine which is currently $1 per week per toy.

We have one session per week on Saturdays from 9am to 11.30am at the Devonport Community House. We are open during the school holidays but close for public holidays if they fall on a Saturday. Members are notified of our Christmas closedown dates each year.

Yes, we love to see our member''s children but please do not leave them unattended.

If a piece of a toy is missing, the toy will be re-issued to you for another three weeks so you can find the missing piece. If the piece cannot be found or is broken, you will be charged $5 per piece. Alternatively the borrower may, with the approval of the library, provide a suitable replacement piece, which must match as closely as possible (quality, size, colour, function) to the original piece. The fine is refundable should the piece subsequently be returned before purchase of a replacement.

Missing or damaged boxes, containers or bags will incur a $5 minimum charge.

Currently, you can''t reserve toys online. We''re upgrading our catalogue software to make this possible. In the meantime, visit the library or email our librarians at librarians@playawhile.org to reserve the toys you are after.

Click here to sign up online.

  1. Families who have chosen “Duty” must do a library duty once per term.
  2. Duty members help to check in returned toys, keep the shelves tidy and do various odd jobs to help us keep the library running. Rostered duties are a fantastic way to see all the toys on offer in the library, meet other people in your community, and to see how the library works.
  3. Before the start of each term, a roster will be distributed. If you are unable to do your duty on the day, it is your responsibility to swap with another member. If no replacement can be found notify the Roster officer. The name and phone number of the Roster officer is printed on your toy receipt.
  4. Session 1 is from 9-10.30 and session 2 is from 10.15-11.45am. Duties involve assisting the Librarian to set up the library before the session starts, help run the library during the session and pack up at the end.
  5. Failure to turn up for a rostered duty will result in a fine of $20

Contact our membership officer at membership@playawhile.og, or visit the library on a Saturday morning.

The library is run by a committee of volunteers who manage the library’s grants and finances, fundraise, purchase new toys, and promote the library to our community. To contact the committee email committee@playawhile.org. The library also employs two paid librarians to run the Saturday sessions.