Membership Info

We have two whatsap groups and every member must be in one of them and read messages weekly.  This can count as half an hour each week towards the 3 hour per fortnight contribution.  If you are rostered on a fortnightly shift to open the Library to serve members then you must be in the Shift Workers Whatsap group.  Everyone else is in the Behind the Scenes group.  

Our Household Members contribute 3 hours per fortnight on average to fill roles imperative to the operation and growth of the Library of Stuff.

• Librarians – volunteer to greet and serve other members.

We open the Library 3 days a week with a fortnightly roster for librarians – we aim for two on each session plus we are actively looking to add a third regular vollie who has skills to check tools going out and coming back and have a chat with members to ensure they know how to use them. 

• Behind the Scenes Support Team Members.  A variety of roles that provide more flexibility than a fortnightly rostered committment.

• • • Committee roles.  Mullum Cares Incorporated is the parent organisation.  Board positions are available to Library members as are positions on the Library of Stuff Management Committee.   Meetings are quarterly.

• • • Comms & Marketing.  Pretty self explanatory – we haven’t the resources to grow like mad so we focus more on growing our benefit to existing members and continuing to grow organically through word of mouth.  We would love some help with particularly finding a way to ensure our current members know what we have available and when new items are added. 

• • • Events team.  We are looking for a team to organise quarterly activies – two stocktake type efforts per year plus two (or more!) social events.  If you have the nouse to think Annual Open Day type event we’ve always wanted to do that so lets doi it!!

• • • Comms & Marketing. Pretty self explanatory – we haven’t the resources to grow like mad so we focus more on growing our benefit to existing members and continuing to grow organically through word of mouth.  We would love some help with particularly finding a way to ensure our current members know what we have available and when new items are added. 

• • • Stuff Maintenance.  There are roles for suitably qualified members to assist Librarians during each opening session and in between sessions as well to ensure our dangerous tools are carefully inspected in between each use and that members who borrow them know how to use them.  So whether you’re a people person or a behind the scenes type, if you have skills in the repair and maintenance of tools you are at the top of our wanted list!  Please consider giving some time to help us keep our insurer happy and our members safe:)

• • • Sponsorship Manager. There are so many great quality brands we would love to reach out to to ask for sponsorship from on the basis that we love introducing or reconnecting our members with great quality products and hope many consider trying by borrowing from us before buying.  We have pasta, bread and pie making machines that are super typical products that many people buy and then leave to gather dust in a kitchen cupboard.  The focus is on ‘infrequently needed’.  Why buy items you infrequently need when you can borrow them.
      • In addition to sponsorship for inventory stock we still have a task ahead of us to reach financial sustainability.  In the long term we hope local and state governments will see the financial benefits to them and their constituents to funding the Library shortfall in income v’s expenses but until then, we hope a volunteer relationship manager can help us seek funding in both cash and in kind support from local residents and businesses.

• • • Relationships Manager.  Where are the people in our region who really believe in what we do?  Are they aware we need financial assistance until we formalise Library’s of Things as the new council/state government funded library of the future?  If you can help us tell our story to the people who can help us please get in touch.

If you would like to become an Active Member and have the time and passion to volunteer on average, 3 hours a fortnight then please use this contact form to get in touch.

In order to allow all items to be able to be booked back to back (really important for our most popular items) we require all returns to arrive in the FIRST HOUR of a session.  This allows for another member who has booked returning items to rely on them being ready to collect in the SECOND HOUR.

We have staggered our open times to try to suit more lifestyles.  As our capacity grows we hope to open more days.

It’s easy to imagine arriving to collect an item you have booked and the disappointment you would feel if the previous lender hadn’t returned it.  This could seriously impact your plans to go camping, do some DIY or organise the stuff you need to put on a party or fundraising event.  If you borrow items or book them then can’t for whatever reason return or collect the items as expected the system allows you to renew items or to cancel or change your reservation.  If any of the items are booked by another member the system will stop you from renewing them.  If you have trouble updating your reservation or extending a loan you MUST call or text the Library’s mobile so our volunteer team can assist you and notify other members if need be. Please add our mobile number to the contacts in your phone under the Library of Stuff – avoid emailing us as that creates additional work for our team.

0431 005 755

As a member you accept that borrowing instead of buying means you are making a sacrifice of convenience. 

We know from surveying our members that this effort is something they are pleased to make AS LONG AS the service is RELIABLE.

We rely on our members and our members rely on each other.

Once you are a paid up member you will see the Reserve button on each item you view in the inventory.  Once you have chosen the items to reserve in, you must go to the cart and submit it in a similiar fashion to an online shopping experience where you ‘go to the cart’ to complete your purchase.

We strongly recommend you view this  MyTurn cart instructional video on how to navigate this (thanks to our mates up in TOOLO in the Blue Mountains for sharing). Your reservation is only complete when you have received an email from My Turn, the software system we use to manage the Library’s operations. 

Complete our contact form here and let us know if you are a looking to become a co op member or receive support for an event, activity or non profit organisation.  If you are keen to join as co op member are you thinking to join a fortnightly roster role or take tasks weekly (1.5hours), fortnightly (3hours) or monthly (6ish)?  Please tell us in the form.

This new organisational structure is evolving as we transition from a centralised management structure to a decentralised one.  This process started when we turned 5 in April 2024 as we were simply too busy with too few members volunteering to cover all the jobs. 

We expect change to be constant through 2024 and likely into 2025 as we find our collective feet.  This means the terms and conditions of membership may change at any time.  If you’re not good with change then you may wish to delay joining until this time next year.  Change can be hard and we don’t want to increase anyones stress levels as it seems now is a particularly difficult time for most in our networks.

1. Please attend personally the first time you borrow stuff as we require sighting your photo ID and proof of address.  Once this has been done you are welcome to have other people pick up and return items on your behalf.  Please don’t ask a friend to drop an item back that is in poorer condition than when you borrowed it as that makes for the awkward situation where we ask that the person return it to you until you can attend to discuss the problem.
2. In order to book items our system requires that you record a payment method on your account.  Handling cash creates a significant administrative burden to our team so we prefer memberships are processed online.  You can make a direct transfer to our bank account and stipulate no payments are made on your card but having the card details on file is required.
3. When you join you will be required to sign our Liability Waiver and Term and Conditions.  Basically the use of Library items is at your own risk.  We ensure all electrical items are tested and tagged every three months and endevour to ensure all items are in a safe working condition.  It is up to you to know how to use the items.  If you are unfamiliar with power tools you wish to borrow we strongly recommend you do a half day Upskill course at Shedding Community Workshop.  We reserve the right to refuse to lend any items that we believe pose a risk to you or the item itself based on your knowledge of how to use and care for it.
4. If items are damaged or lost by you (general wear and tear excepted) you are expected to rectify the loss.  Please always advise the Library team immediately you become aware there is damage or loss.  Do not wait until the day the item is due back as another member may have booked it and be expecting it to be in good working order for them.  Register the problem by using one of two forms on the Communication page on the website – either the Job for our Tribe or General Contact Form.