We strive to maintain a lending library of carriers that are current models, affordable and from reputable manufactures. Nothing may be more irritating than falling in love with a product and find that it is no longer available or super hard to find or $500--or all three. We also have some industry experience and know many of those in the business. Therefore we do try to support the folks we know are good folks.
Meeting attendance is free. Trying out a carrier at a meeting is free. Checking out a carrier to take home and try for a month is free. As an advocacy group, we think this is important. We do fundraisers instead of charging for our services. We encourage you to support us in those efforts!
Our library is meant as a "try before you buy" resource. It is NOT meant as a "borrow instead of buy" resource. As a group we strive to maintain the library to the standards stated above. One of the ways we do that is by supporting babywearing businesses, and they support us in a way. So, we encourage you to support those businesses by purchasing their awesome products because in all honesty, we only have awesome carriers in our library.
To keep the carriers available to people who want to try them, you can only check out a specific carrier model once every six months. Example: you cannot check out a Red Moby one month and the Twilight Moby the next month. However, you CAN check out a red Moby one month and a Wrapsody stretch the next. We have people who come to meetings in order to check out specific carriers. But if someone checked out that carrier for the fourth month in a row (or hasn't returned it and it's overdue), they can't even try it at the meeting. This kind of defeats the purpose of our group and we need our carriers available to the next prospective parent or caregiver.
You are only allowed to check out one carrier at a time. Not one carrier per meeting. One carrier at a time. If you go to one meeting and check out a carrier and two weeks later go to another meeting and return that carrier, you may check out another carrier. If you think you need two carriers, bring your husband. We love having guys at our meetings and are thrilled when they want to check out carriers!
You must attend a meeting in order to check out a carrier. While we love what we do and we love babywearing, we are also volunteers. Every month we carve time out of our busy schedules to run meetings and we ask the same of you. We are happy to help, but these are our personal boundaries and they keep us happy with our decision to volunteer our time.
As an official chapter of Babywearing International (BWI) we are required to encourage BWI membership. To do that, after your first two check-outs you must join BWI and pay the membership fee in order to check out a third carrier. Membership is good for a year. You are still able and encouraged to attend meetings and try carriers at meetings without joining BWI. In our experience, it is quite rare that a person coming to a meeting and looking for a carrier does not find one they love within two check-outs. If after two checkouts they cannot find what they want and cannot afford the membership fee, they can still try carriers for free at meetings. By joining BWI you are supporting babywearing advocacy both on a local level and on an international level. It's a win/win situation for everyone. And quite affordable.
Our leaders are subject to these same policies. We pay the fees and are limited to one carrier at a time and we are also on the hook for replacement if we lose or ruin it.
If a carrier is lost or stolen or damaged while in your possession, you are responsible for the full replacement value. Quality baby carriers like the ones in our library are not inexpensive. And they are worth every penny. But as a group we work hard to be able to put them in your hands. We aren't asking you to treat them as if they are gold. We are asking you to be respectful of them. Please think twice before taking them camping or giving your child a red sucker while they are in the carrier or even throwing it on the floor of your car. We know that you have a life, but we also know that some of our carriers have been damaged because of misuse and abuse. In fact, at a recent leaders meeting we examined several carriers that had been stained or otherwise damaged.
Here is Frances, a Wrapsody stretch that now has a hole in it the size of a quarter.
The hole started as a small puncture, but then a finger went through it. This particular carrier is valued at $75. Here's a picture of it in comparison to the width of the wrap.
Frances is no longer a carrier that we can lend out because of safety issues. Another carrier we examined was the Sequoia Waves Didy Tai. This particular carrier is valued at nearly $200.
One of the loops on the shoulder strap that works as part of the hood was ripped half way off.
While this isn't a safety issue, the main issue is that there was damage. If you have an issue with your carrier, whether it is staining or other damage, please call us as soon as possible so we can try to help you not have to pay for the damaged carrier. We cannot stress this enough.
Also, we re-vamped our check-out forms. There is a place on the form to note any damage you or your leader find in the initial inspection when you check the carrier out and when you return the carrier. Both inspections are super important and they are in place for your protections.
If a carrier is not returned by the due date, you may be charged for the full replacement value. You can return the carrier at a meeting or you can mail it to the address on your check-out reminder form. If something happens, like you go in to labor and are giving birth during the meeting, we do ask that you communicate with us as soon as possible and get the carrier back to us as soon as possible. Communication, communication, communication. But we do understand that life happens.
If you cannot make it to the next local meeting and your carrier is due, you may mail the carrier to the address on your check out form or make arrangements to return the carrier to Babywearing International of Southern Idaho on or by the due date stated above. Again, communication, communication, communication. It makes the world go 'round and keeps all the BWI of Southern Idaho leaders from asking you for money. We don't want your money. We just think everyone should wear their babies.
If a carrier is not returned on time, you risk losing your check-out privileges and may be charged for the full replacement value. We can't stress it enough. Communication, communication, communication. We want to loan you carriers, but if we don't get them back on time, we can't send them off to the next family. That makes us kind of cranky. Please get on our email list, follow us on facebook, get on our blog. Call us. Get those carriers back to us on time or we can't let you take them home with you any more.
Babywearing International of Southern Idaho reserves the right to request a check for the replacement value of the carrier when you check it out. They will only cash the check if the carrier is not returned in a timely manner and in good condition. We really don't want your money. We just want our carriers back. Pretty please.
Babywearing International of Southern Idaho knows that babies are messy. If the carrier is soiled in my care, we ask that you spot clean it, but not wash it as washing it may damage the carrier. Some carriers don't get along with wash machines very well. And we would rather we ruin our carriers by washing them than you ruin them. Then you don't have to pay for them. But do try to get the stain out. And call us if it isn't coming out like you want it to. Communication is so very important!
By checking out a carrier to you, Babywearing International of Southern Idaho agrees to show you how to use the carrier safely. And by checking out a carrier, you agree to use caution and common sense while using it with a child. It is your responsibility to use the carrier responsibly. We cannot be everywhere all the time. And we are not telepathic or omniscient or any of those things that require super natural powers. So, we need you to be smart and cautious. If you are really struggling, we have several meetings a month and you are welcome to come to another one or you can call a leader and we are happy to help you.
Babywearing International of Southern Idaho cannot be held liable for any injury that may occur to you or a child while using this carrier. This is the last thing we want to happen. Please be careful with your baby and the carrier. Better safe than sorry.
HAPPY BABYWEARING!
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