Much like a public library for books, our chapter maintains a library of baby carriers. Anyone attending a meeting may view and try on carriers from the lending library, but only members may check carriers out to take home.

BECOMING A MEMBER

We will have this process mapped out soon.

MEMBERS MAY

Your first carrier rental must occur at a meeting. After that, you may continue to rent carriers at our monthly meetings or you may request an out-of-meeting carrier check out by emailing us. You will be responsible for picking up the carrier from and completing the checkout form with one of our librarians. Please note that we will not be able to provide one-on-one instruction for use of carriers rented outside of our monthly meetings so it will be incumbent upon the renter to seek out manufacturer recommendations for use as needed.

YOUR RESPONSIBILITY

You assume the responsibility for safely using all carriers and for inspecting the stitching and fabric on all carriers to satisfy yourself that a carrier is sound, and you assume the risk of using a carrier. Each time you borrow a carrier, you agree to indemnify and hold harmless Babywearers of Memphis, its leaders, librarians, and members (“Releases”), for any harm that may result to you or your child from the use of the carrier, including any harm allegedly resulting from the Releasees’ instruction or alleged failure to instruct.

TIME FRAME

If you are a member in good standing, you are eligible to check out one carrier per month without a rental fee or deposit. You may also check out one accessory per month. The rental period is from one main monthly meeting to the next (approximately one month).

Your first carrier rental must occur at a meeting. After that, you may continue to rent carriers at our monthly meetings or you may request an out-of-meeting carrier check out by emailing us. You will be responsible for picking up the carrier from and completing the checkout form with one of our librarians. Please note that we will not be able to provide one-on-one instruction for use of carriers rented outside of our monthly meetings so it will be incumbent upon the renter to seek out manufacturer recommendations for use as needed.

The due date for a checked out carrier will always be the date of our next main monthly meeting, regardless of whether you check out a carrier at our monthly meeting or directly from a librarian. This means that the rental period for out-of-meeting loans may be less than one month.

If you cannot return a checked-out carrier at the next month’s meeting, you are responsible for returning it to the librarian before that meeting, in person or by mail. All returns by mail should be sent using USPS Priority Mail with Delivery Confirmation and should be insured for the full value of the replacement cost. You can make arrangements to return an item in person or by mail by emailing us. Please be advised that if you carrier is returned via a friend or other non-leader, you are still fully liable for any damage, loss, or late fees incurred.

CONSEQUENCES FOR BEING OVERDUE

Late and/or replacement fees may be assessed as follows:

• $5 if the carrier is returned after the first hour of the monthly meeting on the specified due date with an increase to $10 plus an additional $1 per day if returned after the specified due date.
• If you fail to communicate with us or return the carrier within 30 days of the specified due date, you will be invoiced for the full replacement cost of the carrier, plus any accrued late fees. If payment is not received within 7 business days of invoice date, a stolen property report will be filed with the local police department and your borrowing privileges will be revoked.
• A cleaning fee of $5 may be assessed at the sole discretion of the group’s leaders based on the terms listed below.
• If a carrier is lost, stolen, or ruined, you are responsible for paying the actual replacement cost of the carrier (in the same condition–new if it was new, gently used if it was gently used), including shipping. Estimated replacement costs for all carriers are listed on the library check out and check in forms.

CARING FOR WHAT WE SHARE

Tobacco Smoke, Pet Hair, Perfume, and Other Scents
Do not expose a carrier to tobacco smoke or tobacco smoke residue, perfume, cologne, or any similar heavily scented personal products. Do not use a carrier where people are smoking, and do not store a carrier in a place where there is tobacco smoke residue, such as in a car or house where someone smokes. If you use the carrier around animals, please take care to remove any pet hair before you return it. Carriers that are returned smelling of smoke/smoke residue, strong perfume/essential oils, or animals may be subject to a cleaning fee of $5 at the sole discretion of the leaders.

Cleaning & Harm to Carriers
Always contact a librarian for instructions before washing a carrier, especially when laundering a woven wrap. Never use fabric softener, bleach, or detergents with perfumes/optical brighteners when laundering a carrier. Using fabric softener or bleach on a wrap will be considered ruin.

Ruin & Replacement of Carriers
If a carrier is lost, stolen, or ruined due to smoke/scent exposure, improper laundering, or for any other reason, you are responsible for paying the actual replacement cost of the carrier (in the same condition–new if it was new, gently used if it was gently used), including shipping. The leaders in their sole discretion will determine whether a carrier is ruined. Ruin of a lending library carrier may also result in the loss of lending library privileges.

CONSEQUENCES FOR DAMAGE

Please return all carriers in check out ready condition. This means the carrier should be reasonably clean and neatly folded but does not necessarily mean you need to wash it. Because minimal washing will keep carriers looking newer longer, you do not need to wash if the carrier has only sustained normal wear and tear (such as a small amount of baby drool). If the carrier has become soiled (significant spit up, diaper blowout, muddy straps, etc.) and needs to be washed, please contact a librarian for washing instructions first. If a carrier is returned in visibly soiled condition and is generally not in check out ready condition, I understand that I may be assessed a $5 cleaning fee at the sole discretion of the group’s leaders.

TERMINATION OF PRIVILEGES 

Violation of any of these policies may result in termination of a member’s borrowing privileges without a refund of dues.