Hi All! We are hosting our first Toy Swap this November and I wanted to see if anyone has any advice on how to run things. We've done a Halloween Costume Swap successfully the past few years, but this feels very different! I have some general questions below, but feel free to let me know as much or little that you think is helpful. - I wasn't planning on limiting the age ranges of toys - right? - How did you sort them? By age, brand, type, etc? - I'm planning on patrons dropping off used toys the week before, Monday-Friday, and having the swap be Saturday-Sunday - People who donate toys ahead of time get "Early Bird Access" tickets and can come the first few hours to take what they'd like (however many you donated you can take out), but after that anyone and everyone is welcome to come and grab as much as they want - I said "Please do not donate toys that are dirty, missing pieces, or no longer work." Am I missing anything? - - Did you accept stuffed animals? - - Was there anything you didn't accept? Anything you *wished* you hadn't accepted? - Did you have batteries on hand to test anything, or did you just assume that everything worked? Thank you so much for any advice or tips on making this work smoothly! If anyone would like a compilation of results, please email me to let me know and I will pass them along off-list. -- *Ashley Moran **(she, her)* Marketing and Programs Manager Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of Commerce Township Main Coordinator Commerce Township Community Library 248-669-8108 ext. 106 Currently Reading <https://www.goodreads.com/user/email_signature_destination/51322836?utm_medium=reading_link&utm_source=email_signature> [image: Book Cover] <https://www.goodreads.com/user/email_signature_destination/51322836?utm_medium=cover&utm_source=email_signature> [image: Goodreads Logo] <https://www.goodreads.com/?utm_medium=gr_logo&utm_source=email_signature>Get your own email signature <https://www.goodreads.com/user/email_signature_instructions?utm_medium=gyo_link&utm_source=email_signature> -- The information contained in this electronic message is intended only for the use of the designated recipient(s). If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any review, use, dissemination, forwarding or copying of this message is strictly prohibited, and we request that you delete the original message and all attachments.
I like this idea! We did a clothing swap in the spring, but we've never done a toy swap. As I'm reading through your bullet points I was wondering how you could accommodate a wide range of toy prices. Not down to the dollar, but would some toys warrant getting two tickets, for example? Would love to hear how your program goes. Good luck! Deb Hemmye Library Director Huntington Woods Public Library 26415 Scotia Road Huntington Woods, MI 48070 248-543-9720, ext. 686 Currently listening to The Reactionary Mind: Conservatism from Edmund Burke to Donald Trump, by Corey Robin From: "Michlib" <michlib-l@mcls.org> To: "Michlib" <michlib-l@mcls.org> Sent: Tuesday, September 30, 2025 10:50:54 AM Subject: [Michlib-l] Toy Swap Advice Hi All! We are hosting our first Toy Swap this November and I wanted to see if anyone has any advice on how to run things. We've done a Halloween Costume Swap successfully the past few years, but this feels very different! I have some general questions below, but feel free to let me know as much or little that you think is helpful. * I wasn't planning on limiting the age ranges of toys - right? * How did you sort them? By age, brand, type, etc? * I'm planning on patrons dropping off used toys the week before, Monday-Friday, and having the swap be Saturday-Sunday * People who donate toys ahead of time get "Early Bird Access" tickets and can come the first few hours to take what they'd like (however many you donated you can take out), but after that anyone and everyone is welcome to come and grab as much as they want * I said "Please do not donate toys that are dirty, missing pieces, or no longer work." Am I missing anything? * * Did you accept stuffed animals? * * Was there anything you didn't accept? Anything you *wished* you hadn't accepted? * Did you have batteries on hand to test anything, or did you just assume that everything worked? Thank you so much for any advice or tips on making this work smoothly! If anyone would like a compilation of results, please email me to let me know and I will pass them along off-list. -- Ashley Moran (she, her) Marketing and Programs Manager Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of Commerce Township Main Coordinator Commerce Township Community Library 248-669-8108 ext. 106 [ https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.goodreads.com_user_email-5Fsignature-5Fdestination_51322836-3Futm-5Fmedium-3Dreading-5Flink-26utm-5Fsource-3Demail-5Fsignature&d=DwMFaQ&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=sW0QtgsUF_VTgHYbMLAYDX2ikQwQhwFgtcNmyu5STJQ&m=PcxZXZpE7ZIcesnuPFjPJ4yIodoFL69uwICGkI-1rbKUocjnCAoMFZN5whtQiGdY&s=kiLyYhWBLAzD2vYPr7YonuWPDfd_SLWx_ghRMUl4cgM&e= | Currently Reading ] [ https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.goodreads.com_user_email-5Fsignature-5Fdestination_51322836-3Futm-5Fmedium-3Dcover-26utm-5Fsource-3Demail-5Fsignature&d=DwMFaQ&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=sW0QtgsUF_VTgHYbMLAYDX2ikQwQhwFgtcNmyu5STJQ&m=PcxZXZpE7ZIcesnuPFjPJ4yIodoFL69uwICGkI-1rbKUocjnCAoMFZN5whtQiGdY&s=ZtETpjn0QsxKHawcgoG959JEleOVAtPHYCFlglMqS0I&e= ] [ https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.goodreads.com_-3Futm-5Fmedium-3Dgr-5Flogo-26utm-5Fsource-3Demail-5Fsignature&d=DwMFaQ&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=sW0QtgsUF_VTgHYbMLAYDX2ikQwQhwFgtcNmyu5STJQ&m=PcxZXZpE7ZIcesnuPFjPJ4yIodoFL69uwICGkI-1rbKUocjnCAoMFZN5whtQiGdY&s=I_noZ-yFopZ73b_il6PfafZhR1EcAPlqEwqZzeXi1G0&e= | ] [ https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.goodreads.com_user_email-5Fsignature-5Finstructions-3Futm-5Fmedium-3Dgyo-5Flink-26utm-5Fsource-3Demail-5Fsignature&d=DwMFaQ&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=sW0QtgsUF_VTgHYbMLAYDX2ikQwQhwFgtcNmyu5STJQ&m=PcxZXZpE7ZIcesnuPFjPJ4yIodoFL69uwICGkI-1rbKUocjnCAoMFZN5whtQiGdY&s=YnlbzgcIXFyXldl8kT3lnBqh7AlFEYbYpgCXprzHLlM&e= | Get your own email signature ] The information contained in this electronic message is intended only for the use of the designated recipient(s). If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any review, use, dissemination, forwarding or copying of this message is strictly prohibited, and we request that you delete the original message and all attachments. _______________________________________________ Michlib-l mailing list Michlib-l@mcls.org https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__mail3.mcls.org_mailman_listinfo_michlib-2Dl&d=DwICAg&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=sW0QtgsUF_VTgHYbMLAYDX2ikQwQhwFgtcNmyu5STJQ&m=PcxZXZpE7ZIcesnuPFjPJ4yIodoFL69uwICGkI-1rbKUocjnCAoMFZN5whtQiGdY&s=5-iDCyN3FzOdS3KZMVsaDVrP6I25l6cmXaKIAPzkdeQ&e=
participants (2)
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Ashley Moran -
Deb Hemmye