CCPL Toy Collection

About the Program

Category: Libraries (Best in Category)

Year: 2018

On June 1, 2017, the Chesterfield County Public Library (CCPL) launched its first ever toy collection. The collection has initiated a model for the lending of toys to the Chesterfield County community, while providing financial and environmental benefits to parents, and social and educational benefits to children under the age of five. The toy collection was launched at Clover Hill Library, which served as a pilot location. Children’s staff selected toys for lending based on specific criteria: • Educational value, focusing on development skills such as gross and fine motor skills, cognitive learning and creative play; • Age group (zero to five years); • All toys met choking hazard requirements as established by the Consumer Product Safety Commission; and • Toys were required to contain no batteries. The program was evaluated three months after its launch, and the results were positive. Circulation numbers showed 60 to 75 percent of the collection was checked out at any given time. Survey results showed, across the board, that patrons believed the toy collection was a great idea. It saved them money by not having to buy new toys, and saved space as well since they no longer had to store the new toys at home.