Sling library sessions

****CURRENTLY ON HOLD DUE TO COVID - POSTAL HIRE AVAILABLE****

Drop in sessions 

At our drop in sessions we offer free advice and hire, you are very welcome to bring your own carrier along for a fitting. You can find our upcoming sessions at the bottom of the page and in the events section of our facebook page.  

• Our first session on the 2nd Thursday of each month is at Twinkle Toes cafe on Sussex street.
• Our second session on the 4th Thursday of each month is at Locomotion Coffee inside the Garage performing arts centre on Chapel Field North.

***Both sessions are free to enter but we ask you support the venues by buying a drink etc if you can as they generously provide the space for free. They serve a wide range of tea, coffee and food at very reasonable prices***

 Hiring a Carrier

Hire charge: £10-£12 per month (usually 4 weeks) depending on the carrier, which can be paid in cash or with the card on your account. For stretchy wraps and close caboos we also offer a 3 month hire for £20 (3rd month free)

Instead of a deposit we now store your debit card details with a 3rd party banking system called Stripe. Neither ourselves or myturn have access to your details but should a carrier not be returned or fees go unpaid we can make a claim through stripe who will charge your card on our behalf (see our terms and conditions for more info). Once you have returned all carriers you can remove these details from your account if you wish.

****If you’d prefer to pay a £50 deposit then we can only take them as cash****

Late Returns

It is really important that all slings are returned on the day they are due, if you would like to extend a hire, please Email Us

If you cannot get to a library session or return a sling by the agreed time please let us know as soon as possible.

Whilst we understand family life is unpredictable its worth noting that by not returning on time or not at all, you are potentially costing the library a new hire or available sling, this can be detrimental to the survival of this service, so think carefully, we run only through the money raised through hiring, without this, the service may not be able to run.

If you do not return your carrier at the agreed session without pre-arrangement we will charge a £5 admin fee and automatically renew your hire until the next library session. The admin fee and hire charge will be automatically collected via your card stored with us on stripe. If the carrier is not returned to the next session and no contact made, the same fee will be taken again and will continue to do so for each missed session until contact is made and/or the carrier is returned. If we do not hear from you within 1 month of the original hire ending, we will consider the carrier lost and claim all costs incurred. We may reduce or waive late fees at our discretion.  If you are unable to return your carrier by the agreed date due to Library staff illness or holidays, we will extend your loan period for free and agree a new returns due date with you. All costs in relation to late fees and non-returned carriers will be sought via small claims court if necessary.

Hire Terms and conditions

Loan Form All carriers must be checked out via Myturn before leaving the library; by doing so you are agreeing to these terms and conditions (a copy of which will also be available at the time of hiring).  Due to trying to reduce waste and our carbon footprint where possible, we will not be giving out a paper copy with each sling but instead directing you to the online copy.

Your personal details will be kept in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation 2018, and will only be used to contact you in relation to your library loan. To hire a carrier you must be a member of myturn; it’s free to join and can be done in advance or on the day you hire.

Loan Cost and Duration Only one carrier may be borrowed at any time. Once a carrier is returned another loan may be made. The standard loan period is 4 weeks but at our discretion you may arrange to borrow a carrier for a shorter or longer period (max 3 months). For additional hire arranged beyond the normal 4 week period there will be a charge of £3.75/£2.50 a week. Carriers hired outside of the normal 4 weeks can be returned to my home near North Walsham by arrangement.

Deposit Instead of deposits we store payment card details with stripe via your Myturn account. Neither Myturn or ourselves will have access to your details but we can charge your card for any unpaid late fees, missing or damaged carriers. You will be charged for the replacement of any lost carriers, accessories, instructions or late fees. Any costs we are unable to recover will be sort after via the small claims court. Charges for items damaged beyond normal wear and tear will be judged on a case-by-case basis. Please note, this includes removal or damage of sling labels, without which we are unable to re-hire.

Payment Methods Loan costs are payable by cash, card or PayPal payment.

Late Returns If you do not return your carrier at the agreed session without pre-arrangement we will charge a £5 admin fee and automatically renew your hire until the next library session. The admin fee and hire charge will be automatically collected via your card stored with us on stripe. If the carrier is not returned to the next session and no contact made, the same fee will be taken again and will continue to do so for each missed session until contact is made and/or the carrier is returned. If we do not hear from you within 1 month of the original hire ending, we will consider the carrier lost and claim all costs incurred. We may reduce or waive late fees at our discretion.  If you are unable to return your carrier by the agreed date due to Library staff illness or holidays, we will extend your loan period for free and agree a new returns due date with you. All costs in relation to late fees and non-returned carriers will be sought via small claims court if necessary.

Returning Carriers Returns can be made during Library opening hours or to my home in Aylsham, following a prearranged agreement. If returning to a library session, please do so within the first hour to allow others to hire.

Condition of the Carrier All carriers are checked before lending to ensure that they are in good condition and working order. The borrower is also advised to check the condition of the carrier prior to the start of the loan and by hiring the carrier through myturn you are confirming the carrier is good working condition and agreeing to these terms and conditions. It is the borrower’s responsibility to check over the carrier before every use. Check all buckles, hems and seams ensuring that there are no tears, breaks, cracks or holes. If any damage is discovered, please stop using the carrier immediately and contact us.

Safe Use of Carriers Instructions for all carriers can be found in our sling catalogue. The borrower must read all safety, use and care instructions provided prior to using the carrier. Carriers must only be used in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

All carriers are extremely safe when used properly; however misuse can cause injury to yourself or your child. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are using the carrier correctly and that your baby is safe at all times.

The Norwich Sling Library cannot be held responsible for any accident that results in injury or death whilst the carrier is in your care. We suggest that after familiarising yourself with the instructions given, you then practice using the carrier with a doll/teddy or cushion/pillow so that you get used to the tying/fastening/adjusting methods.

Always ensure that you seat your child correctly in the carrier and check any knots regularly as children do not stay still and straps and wrap passes can move or become loosened.

If you feel any pain while carrying your child, change the carrying position or remove the carrier.

If you are unsure about anything you read in the instructions, are not sure what you’re doing or are at all concerned, please ask us. We can point you in the direction of lots of helpful sites to give you tips to make sure you’re getting the best out of the carrier and using it safely.

Do not use a carrier in situations that could be unsafe to do so, including but not limited to riding a bike, while driving or in a car, during sporting activities, near open flames or while you are sleeping.

Wearing your child is ultimately your responsibility; when you take away a carrier you are doing so having checked the carrier, and omitting any liability of Norwich Sling Library during, whilst and after you are carrying your child.

Care of Carriers Under no circumstances is it permitted to smoke whilst wearing or holding the carrier. Please inform us if you are a smoker, or if there is a smoker in your home as we will need to carefully launder the carrier after it is returned. Smoking is known to increase the risk of cot death for babies, and these risks have also been linked to babies being in close contact with clothing or objects contaminated with smoke particles.

We cannot guarantee that there are no marks or hairs on the carriers we lend. Carriers are spot-cleaned and only laundered if necessary as freshly-washed carriers will not be as soft or flexible as those that are not. If you would prefer to use a freshly laundered carrier please request this before you borrow. Please therefore DO NOT wash the carrier without contacting us first as incorrect washing may lead to damage to the carrier and loss of deposit. Spot clean any marks when they occur using a gentle soap and water; all carriers MUST be returned clean with any marks suitably addressed.  If you feel it is necessary that the carrier is washed while on loan to you, please contact us first for advice.

We cannot guarantee that there are no animal hairs on our carriers, but we ask that all carriers are kept away from pets to minimise this possibility. If you are very allergic to animal hairs, please request that the carrier be laundered before you borrow it to help reduce any potential reaction. Food and posset marks are expected when carrying children, but please keep the sling away from anything that may stain more permanently (oil, paint, pens, bleach etc), or anything that might damage it (scissors, Velcro, keys in your bag, fire, closing doors etc.). You my be charged for any damage beyond normal wear and tear.

All slings, carriers, instructions and accessories remain the property of the Norwich Sling Library at all times, and all loans are subject to availability and our discretion. Norwich Sling Library is a non-profit organisation, set up with the aim to help care givers decide on a carrier that suits them. We ask that you respect and treat every carrier as if it were your own and adhere to all T&C’s so that everyone can have a chance to use what is on offer to hire.