New used shelving was purchased by Margo Ashmore, Reuse Minnesota board member, to make Minneapolis Toy Library's "music section" easier to access. The shelving was purchased from Better Future's ReUse Warehouse.

When kids come to the Minneapolis Toy Library, they encounter various types of donated shelving holding the toys they may check out. The shelf collection got a little more sturdy with the addition of some contributions that came through Better Futures Minnesota on April 15. Both organizations are members of Reuse Minnesota.

Better Futures does deconstruction – the taking apart of houses by hand – and curbside pickup of large items for the city of Bloomington. Shelving – whether free-standing or formerly built-in – comes from those sources to the ReUse Warehouse store.

Better Futures crew members unloading shelving at Minneapolis Toy Library.

The warehouse is open to the general public. You can find their hours here. Popular building materials include flooring, lighting, plumbing fixtures, cabinetry, doors, windows, and even dimensional lumber and mechanicals. Our board member, Margo Ashmore, purchased these three shelves and arranged delivery to the Minneapolis Toy Library. The shelves are replacing smaller, rickety shelves in the “music section”. Those shelves will find new use in the storage area.

Teresa, one of the Minneapolis Toy Library leaders, said the new used shelves replaced these backless black shelves which will rotate into their non-public storage area.

At the toy library’s Northeast branch, its leaders receive small stipends but it’s a labor of love making the library accessible six days a month so people can check out toys. 

Mi, a visiting parent, signed up for a toy library membership as the crew was unloading. She left with a couple of armloads of toys, saying “Children will play with some toys for such a short time. They lose interest fast, so rather than buy all these things that can be so expensive, the library is great.”

Minneapolis Toy Library will hold a training for lead volunteers to run the open hours at the Northeast location on May 26 from 4-5pm. There will be a garage sale fundraiser on May 23-25 and June 6-8.

Written by Margo Ashmore