Toybrary aims to save parent's money and closet space while keeping children challenged through educational toys, owner Liza Wilson said.

At Toybrary, parents can check out up to three educational toys at a time for their children for a flat monthly membership fee. Wilson said she hand-picks the toys herself and only chooses high-quality products.

Toybrary opened in July, and Wilson said the reaction from Austin-area families has been overwhelmingly positive.

"A lot of people have described [Toybrary] as a community resource," Wilson said.

In addition to carrying toys for children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years old, Toybrary hosts everything from children cooking classes to live music performances.

Toybrary also has a play area where kids can play with a variety of toys inside the store. The play area is free for members and $3 for non-members.

Wilson said the Family Connections, a nonprofit in Austin that let parents and teachers check out educational toys for free, inspired her to open Toybrary. While Family Connections closed in 2010 amidst a criminal investigation into its executive director, Wilson, a former teacher, said she thought the idea of renting out toys was a great idea and should be brought back to Austin.

"For a lot of people who went to Family Connections, they come in and say, 'We are so glad you're filling that void,'" she said.

Toybrary offers three-month, six-month or year-long memberships. The membership ranges from $25–$45 per month, depending on which length of membership a person signs up for.

Parents an also rent out the Toybrary facility for birthday parties.

"In my mind, it's kind of the sky's the limit for this place," she said. "I'm willing to try anything."

For more information, visit https://toybraryaustin.com.