Behind the Scenes at the REAL Santa’s Workshop
Published on December 17, 2024
By Leah T.
It’s the season of gift-giving. Before you go racing to buy toys for your child, have you heard of the Toy Lending Library? Say goodbye to a stockpile of toys at your house. Renew your space with a toy box!
I’ve visited the Toy Lending Library a few times since coming to the library. Every time I leave, I want to shout from the rooftops about what happens in that basement of the First United Methodist Church in Sioux Falls.
As someone who plans programs for children ages birth to 5 years old, I recognize the importance of play in a child’s development. Children experience and understand the world through play. While it is fun and entertaining for little ones, play is also an incredible learning opportunity and builds a solid foundation for independence later on.
Anelis Coscioni, the director of Toy Lending Library, couldn’t agree more. A 2011 survey conducted in Sioux Falls revealed that many young children lacked access to toys for play. Anelis used a subscription-based toy library when her daughter was young. However, she envisioned a toy library that would be free for caregivers, ensuring all children could access toys, regardless of their family's income. She reached out to the Soroptimist Club for help to make the vision a reality.
“Toys are a tool for learning.” - Anelis Coscioni, Director of Toy Lending Library
In February 2015, the first Toy Lending Library boxes arrived on the shelves at the Downtown Library. Since then, the Toy Lending Library has expanded to provide toy boxes to most Siouxland Libraries branches and libraries in surrounding communities in South Dakota. You can also browse the collection and take home a toy box from their location on 401 South Spring Ave. There are currently over 1600 toy boxes in their inventory.
The idea for a toy box begins from one of three inspirations: a beloved book, a unique toy, or a specific theme. From there, they create the toy kit centered around that item. The items in a toy box are either purchased or donated, with donations required to be in like-new condition. Toys should be durable, easy to clean, and engaging for children. The staff regularly check for recalls on toys to ensure their inventory is safe for children to use.
Greg, an employee at Toy Lending Library, takes pictures of the toys and prints them on a label. This helps children and caregivers ensure that the correct toys are being returned when they are finished. Also included on the label is the box’s target age and the skills children can learn through playing with those toys.
“I like to say our unofficial mission is to take over the world, with kindness. I mean, if everyone had toys as a child, the world would be so much better.” - Greg Woods
Before it can be placed on library shelves, it is delivered to the System Support team at the Downtown Library to be cataloged. Once cataloged, the bin is returned to the Toy Lending Library to be entered into their database. The toy box is cleaned, sanitized, and securely zip-tied before being sent to one of the locations for checkout.
Upon return to the Toy Lending Library, each toy box is inspected for inventory and required repairs, then cleaned and sanitized. This process ensures the toys can continue to be enjoyed by many children.
Eight team members and over 30 volunteers each week ensure the Toy Lending Library runs smoothly. The organization relies on the support of partners like Lifescape Pathways, Resources for Human Development, Dakotabilities, Southeastern Directions for Life, and Teach Well to deliver its mission while empowering individuals with varying abilities to learn important life and job skills. If you are interested in volunteering, take a look at the many opportunities available on their website.
“I am a retired teacher, and this has given me a new way to contribute to the community. I just love it.” - Barb
The Toy Lending Library will be celebrating 10 years in 2025. To keep this invaluable service free, it relies on the generosity and support of its users. Learn more about how you can give back on their website.