ETL Newsletter 5 - Greece 2014

Newsletter nº 5 (2014)

Athens - Greece 2014 Greece hosted the 18th meeting on April 4th and 5th, in Athens.

The meeting was attended by the following participants: Albania, Belgium, Denmark, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland and Turkey.

Excuses were received from Cyprus, Croatia, France, Germany, Portugal, Luxembourg, Romania, United Kingdom and Sweden.

The financial situation is unfortunately still a big problem also for toy libraries.

It was also stated that in spite of these difficulties, it is important to have a European meeting every year. The exchange between the different countries and the different way of organizing the toy libraries is very important and motivating for all participants.

SPECIAL TOPIC FOR 2014

HOW TO SURVIVE: PR AND FUNDRAISING Last year, ETL members chose as topic for discussion in 2014 “Public Relations and Fundraising” (PR+FR), a challenge for every country.

As you can see below, the group identified some ideas that are capable of helping toy libraries to go further: 

Fliers, News Letter, Website (up to date!) and Facebook;

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Special events for the public like playing activities for children and adults;

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Special invitations for politicians, sponsors;

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Board members to visit local authorities;

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Training for toy librarians;

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Promotion of new games;

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To tell what toy libraries do: “Do good and tell people about it!”

This subject will be on the agenda again for the next meeting as it is such a crucial matter for toy libraries.

PURPOSES OF ETL:

 To disseminate the concept of toy libraries as a means of bringing play and play materials to people.  To serve as a link between national toy library organizations, providing opportunities for international exchange of ideas and materials.  To maintain a liaison with other organizations and associations pertaining to developmental and social issues, health, education and play.  To organize common presentations at international events such as the International Conferences organized by the International Toy Library Association.  To cooperate with organizations having similar goals.

ETL MEETING—ATHENS, APRIL 2014

THE DOCUMENTATION A documentation for toy libraries was elaborated by the members of ETL during the last years.

In Athens, the group discussed the final layout and we’re very happy to announce that the documentation will be published on the ETL website and disseminated during this year!

The “Documentation for Toy Libraries” will be edited in the 3rd trimester of 2014

VOLUNTEERS IN TOY LIBRARIES Greece was asking how to find volunteers for the work in their toy libraries. As this is a problem all over, the following suggestions were made. And this might help other countries to find volunteers.

Raising volunteers:

Keeping volunteers:

Unemployed people

Team spirit (building)

Office for volunteers

Recognition

Assistance

Small reward (e.g. chocolates as present at the end of the year/dinner once in a year and so on) Organize a meeting day or a general assembly Let them feel how important they are, perhaps with little presents or documents on which you write how important they are for you.

Let them be involved in your plans but also with your troubles in your search for volunteers Offer them training

Website Facebook account

Spread the news Get in touch with Universities (to search for students)

Let them do what they are good at – different tasks for different people

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INTERNATIONAL TOY LIBRARIES ASSOCIATION (ITLA) 13TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE IN SEOUL ITLA’s next conference, organized by Korea Toy Library Association, will take place between 18-22 August 2014 in Seoul, Korea.

Its theme is “Play for Life - Play in the Past, Play in the Present and Play in the Future”. The conference languages will be English and Korean.

Michel Van Langendonckt and Renate Fuchs will attend the conference.

Renate Fuchs will present the European Group of Toy Libraries ETL and the title of the presentation will be: “The European Scene and some Challenges for the Future”.

ETL will be represented on ITLA’s Conference in Seoul in August 2014

ITLA’S NEXT CONFERENCE Usually the next conference is organized three years after the previous one, this means in 2017, but as many other conferences are planned in 2017, for example EPA and ITRA, the next ITLA conference should take place in 2016.

Until now no specific date or place has been set.

ETL Group in Athens

ETL’S COORDINATION Renate Fuchs was elected to be the coordinator for another 2 years.

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SOCIAL PROGRAMME After closing the meeting on Saturday the whole group visited a toy library for children and adults with disabilities. This was very interesting and everybody NEXT MEETING:

enjoyed to see how much fun it was for all the children and adults to play together.

Date: April 17th –18th 2015 Place: Geneva, Switzerland

Toy Library in Athens

The next meeting will be held in Switzerland.

ETL HISTORY AND MEMBERS The Group of European Toy Libraries (ETL) was founded in 1996 during the 7th International Conference on Toy Libraries in Zurich (Switzerland).

ETL is committed to the beliefs that play, playthings and playful interaction are essential to optimal education, physical, psychological, social and cultural development.

It has as current members the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Cyprus, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Turkey.

ETL is a section of the International Toy Libraries Association of (ITLA) and works in close co-operation with ITLA.

4 Š Child Support Institute, 2014