We are thrilled to offer a lending library to our members; below are some guidelines to help our library run smoothly. Upon joining Babywearing Connecticut, you electronically agree to these policies. A copy will be emailed to you via MyTurn. If you have any questions about your library carrier, please contact us at babywearingconnecticut@gmail.com.

General Policies

• All lending library carriers are available for checkout by any dues paying member. You need not be a dues paying member to try on carriers during a meeting. See below for our non-member lending policy.
• You can visit our MyTurn Lending Library Page to view our library inventory.
• Memberships are $30 and are valid for one calendar year. We allow 2 carriers of different types to be checked out per meeting per member.
• Our chapter uses MyTurn for membership management and to track carrier lending. We will create an account with you when you join (although you will not need to log into the system at any time).
• A Chapter Volunteer will record your carrier returns and check-outs in MyTurn at the information table.
• Upon checkout, please allow time for a Chapter Educator to demonstrate features of the carrier, safe wearing technique, and inspect the carrier’s condition.

 General Lending Policies

• The lending period is roughly one month (given the variability of meeting dates).
• Carriers are due back to the next month’s meeting at the same location (e.g., Westville to Westville). You may return your carrier at an earlier meeting at a different location (and check out a new carrier if you like).
• You will receive an email via MyTurn at check out with the carrier’s due date as well as a reminder email via MyTurn prior to the meeting. Please let us know if you do not receive emails from MyTurn (and check your spam folder).
• If you are unable to attend the meeting when your carrier is due, it is your responsibility to return your carrier to a BWCT volunteer prior to the meeting. Carriers not returned at or prior to the due date will accrue late charges (see below). To arrange for this, please email us: babywearingconnecticut@gmail.com.  You can also contact us via our Facebook page.
• Please return carriers to a BWCT volunteer only; do not pass them to another member. They are inspected between loans for everyone’s safety.
• Members are not to clean carriers. Please advise a volunteer if a carrier needs to be cleaned.
• Out of respect for the time of our volunteers, we do not allow carrier checkouts between meetings.
• In the event a meeting is cancelled due to weather or volunteer illness, your carrier rental will be extended by one month (due the next meeting at this location). You will be notified via email of the new due date.
• If a carrier is lost or incurs major damage during your check-out period, it is your responsibility to reimburse Babywearing Connecticut for the cost of a replacement carrier (cost to be determined by retail price). Minor damages (such as lost parts, heavy stains, etc.) may incur a damage fee at the discretion of Babywearing Connecticut.

Non-Member Loans

• Non-members who wish to check out a carrier may do so for a $10 fee.
• Only one carrier check out per month per family.
• If you wish to join Babywearing Connecticut following your first non-member rental, you may apply the $10 rental fee towards your membership cost.
• All other policies in this document apply to non-member loans.

 

Caring for Your Loaner Carrier

Please help us to keep our carriers in excellent condition by adhering to the following:

• Avoid strong smells (such as smoke or perfume), eating while wearing (watch out for drips!), wearing with rings that may snag, or other actions that might damage the carrier.
• Make sure to keep up with any accessories that come with your carrier (such as chest clips). Some accessories (such as infant inserts or sling rings) can be checked out in addition to a carrier.
• If something should happen to dirty the carrier, please spot clean with water and mild detergent. Please do not wash carriers.
• If more than spot cleaning is needed, please advise a volunteer when returning a carrier to the library. A volunteer will ensure the carrier is cleaned.
• BWCT volunteers inspect carriers upon return and wash as needed in between loans.

 

Overdue Loan Policies

It is important that carriers be returned in a timely fashion so that others may try them out. To help enforce the timely return of carriers, we have adopted the following overdue loan policies:

• Carriers not returned on or before their due date will incur a late fee of $.50 per day that they are overdue.
• Late fees may be paid in cash upon carrier return or via paypal (babywearingconnecitcut@gmail.com).
• No carriers will be checked out to members with outstanding late fees.
• Members with loans that are two months overdue (e.g., carrier checked out in May, not returned in June, not returned in July) will be invoiced for the replacement cost of the carrier (determined by retail price). Members must immediately pay the invoice or return the carrier.
• We reserve the right to seek legal means to recover carriers more than two months overdue; members with carriers more than two months overdue will lose library privileges.

 

If you have any questions about our group at any time please feel free to email us at babywearingconnecticut@gmail.com.
Please remember that YOU are ultimately responsible for the safety of your child when using a carrier from our library. Happy Babywearing!!