Toy Libraries Australia

Toy Libraries Australia
AbbreviationTLA
Founded atMelbourne, Victoria
TypeNonprofit
Location
  • Australia
CEO
Debbie Williams[1]
Main organ
Committee
FundingFederal and state governments, memberships
Websitetoylibraries.org.au
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.

TLA supports over 280 toy libraries in Australia,[3] 130 of which are in Melbourne.[4] In 2020, the number of toy library memberships in toy libraries supported by TLA was over 130,000.[5]

History

Toy Libraries Australia started in 1977 as the Toy Libraries Association of Victoria, uniting five Victorian toy libraries.[6] The name was changed to Toy Libraries Victoria in 2000, and then to Toy Libraries Australia in 2012.[7][4]

Toy Libraries Australia won the Marie Claire Sustainability Award in the "parenting" category in 2024.[8]

Organisation

In 2024, the Australian Federal Government provided AU$2.3million of funding to Toy Libraries Australia.[3] However, government funding is not continuous and the main stable income comes from membership fees.[4]

Toy Libraries Australia is primarily volunteer run, with two paid staff members.[2]

Initiatives

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]

The TLA's Toy Well Program runs 18 free toy libraries in Victoria for children from migrant and refuge families.[11]

References

  1. ↑ "Borrowing boom for toy libraries as cost-of-living pressure hits families". CHILD Magazines. 2023-03-03. Retrieved 2025-04-18.
  2. 1 2 Rigby, Mark; O'Toole, Kate (2017-05-22). "Toy libraries stop plastic treasures becoming trash-pile terrors". ABC News. Retrieved 2025-04-10.
  3. 1 2 Lucas, Freya (2025-03-10). "Additional funding for Toy Libraries". The Sector. Retrieved 2025-04-10.
  4. 1 2 3 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
  5. ↑ 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.
  6. ↑ Sarwal, Amit. "Do you know about toy libraries in Australia?". SBS Language. Retrieved 2025-04-10.
  7. ↑ Media, Ripefruit. "Toy Libraries Australia". Only Melbourne. Retrieved 2025-04-18.
  8. ↑ "VOLVO Sustainability Awards 2024". marie claire. Retrieved 2025-04-10.
  9. ↑ Lucas, Freya (2024-02-12). "More funding for playgroups and toy libraries". The Sector. Retrieved 2025-04-18.
  10. ↑ "New funding for toy libraries to support children with disabilities". Disability Insider. 2025-03-06. Retrieved 2025-04-18.
  11. ↑ "Winners of the 2025 Victorian Early Years Awards". www.vic.gov.au. 2026-03-26. Retrieved 2026-06-30.
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