The Oakland Public Library (OPL) Toy Lending Library began in 2014 as a pilot funded by a Pacific Library Partnership Innovations & Technology grant. The program involved more than 30 sets of toys at each of the four pilot locations: the main library, Elmhurst, César Chávez and West Oakland library branches. Since then, the collection has expanded to the Melrose and Rockridge branches as well, for a total of six sites.
The toys are fully cataloged and intended to circulate as seamlessly as the other juvenile items, with the same loan rules and fine structure. The toy lending collection aims to connect play with learning in deliberate ways across library services and environments.
Oakland Public Library lends dinosaurs, trucks, dolls and other toys at six library locations.