Public Libraries Victoria

Final stop on our was Wycheproof to visit Buloke Shire Council Libraries. The Wyche Library is currently co-located with the Neighbourhood House in the Community Resource Centre but a new facility will soon be built on the block next door. Thanks to Jenna, George & Adele for your time and hospitality (and sorry we didn’t get a photo with you)

Next stop on our libraries was in Warracknabeal where Jo and Sarah showed us the mural painted by local students & the fab silent disco headsets the library has on offer

Next stop on our was to meet with a local book club supported by Words On Wheels van. The book club meets in a shopfront before coffee & cakes at the cafe where the original Flying Doctors was filmed. The book club members talked about how much the group means to them for social connection and engagement

Next up on our libraries was in Dimboola. Thanks to Whitney, Monica and Jo for your warm hospitality & for showing off the Stay Connected outreach van publiclibraries

PLV staff Angela, Michelle & Lloyd enjoyed visiting Wimmera Libraries today to get a sense of what’s happening locally, and to provide hands on support, not only for the ILMS but also for a spot of shelving. Thanks to the team at Horsham Library for your warm hospitality

What a brilliant way to kick off our PLV general meeting at with a walking tour of Geelong‘s cultural sites this morning. Heartfelt thanks to our guide

Our CEO & Acting President modelling the fab ‘I’m with the banned’ T-shirts

A great delight to join colleagues to visit Queenscliff Library & Boronggook Library, Drysdale, part of Great to see this infrastructure offering safe, comfortable and beautiful spaces and services to local communities

Writers and storytellers with disability are invited to submit an Expression of Interest to join our new Writeability Goes Online writing group in 2024. The sessions are held online each month on Thursdays, from 11am-1pm, between February and September 2024. Places are limited. EOIs close 5pm, Monday 11 December. Submit your EOI here: https://buff.ly/3utyO4z

Our CEO singing the praises of free school holiday programs in today

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My latest project for was to crochet the characters for our Big Summer Read challenge: Paige the pink book, Red (self-explanatory!), Pip the watermelon, Ichigo the strawberry, Bob the apple, Jerry & Terry the cherries and Connie the icecream cone. Yes, librarians love puns! Kids can register for the challenge at any public library in Victoria

Bolinda Audio and BorrowBox are thrilled to announce that Pip Williams, the bestselling author of The Dictionary of Lost Words and The Bookbinder of Jericho, will be joining BorrowBox content expert, Natasha Boyd for an in-depth online discussion and Q&A session, in our next exclusive online author event.

The event, FREE for all to attend, will occur on Wednesday 13th December at 7pm AEDT (SA: 6.30pm ACDT, WA: 4pm AWST, QLD: 6pm AEST, NZ: 9pm NZDT)

Share and register for the event here: https://bolinda.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_lenAyEeGR_m38Y_64yRXwQ #/registration

Our CEO & Project Officer had a great morning at .official chatting to & about public libraries, library culture, cardigans and librarians’ loving alliteration. Stay tuned for the inaugural

Public Libraries Victoria is devastated to learn of the death of Cal Wilson. Cal was a wonderful ambassador for public libriares and lit up every event she hosted. In tribute, we share her witty and wonderful Ode to Libraries: https://youtu.be/y2ydT105KgM?si=8fZWums-HYjnuxaY Vale Cal Wilson. Library Land will miss you.

Cal Wilson's ode to libraries

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The paper cranes have started their journey to Japan.

As you are aware our community project resulted in a whopping amount of paper cranes. Over 16,000 paper cranes were created by community members across the Goulburn Valley. These cranes stayed on display until last week so everyone could enjoy them but they have now started getting ready to head on over to the Children's Peace Monument that stands in Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima, Japan.

The first step in their journey was finding their way from all of the libraries around the region to one place. You can see them pictured here having a ride in the Goulburn Valley Libraries van. They are resting before the flight to Japan. It's a big trip.

Last week, our CEO had the great pleasure of attending Deer Park Library’s 30th Birthday party. And what a great party it was! There was birthday cake, face, painting, a magician, balloons and barbecue – among others. In attendance was Brimbank Mayor Bruce Lancashire, councillors Victoria Borg & Thuy Dang, Legislative Council MP Trung Luu and many, many excited members of the local community. Congratulations on a brilliant day. Kudos to the great staff team who planned it all so well

State Library Victoria & Public Libraries Victoria have secured places for up to ten public library staff to participate in a library industry mentoring program between April and November 2024. Expressions of interest are invited by Friday 10th November 2023. Please read on for more information about the program and who should consider participating.

About the program
The CAVAL Cross-Institutional Mentoring Program has been running for nearly ten years and is very highly regarded. Until now, participants have been drawn almost exclusively from academic libraries. In 2022, for the first time, Victorian public library staff had the opportunity to be mentored. Each mentee will be paired with an experienced senior library manager and leader whom they will meet with regularly over a seven-month period. These meetings will be driven by the professional needs of each mentee. Mentees will also have the opportunity to participate in seminars and networking events with the full cohort of mentees and mentors; and, to kick-off the program, they will attend a two-hour preparation session.


Who should participate?
We are targeting:
• people who are emerging library leaders in public libraries and at the State Library;
• people who are thinking about the next step in their careers, upwards or sideways, and are looking for advice;
• people who are keen to increase their leadership and communication skills, are open to constructive feedback and are willing to ask for help and show vulnerability;
• people who are keen to expand their knowledge of and increase their engagement with the wider library sector.

People who have been involved in some of SLV’s and PLV’s other leadership development programs might be particularly interested, for example: Ramsay and Reid Scholarship recipients and alumni of the Shared Leadership Program or of the Managing Self Managing Others program. However, participation in any of these programs is not a prerequisite for participating in this mentoring program. It is open to all.

The SLV/PLV partnership
The State Library and Public Libraries Victoria have worked together for over twenty years to deliver a wide range of initiatives supporting development of library services across the State. We do this under the banner of the Statewide Public Library Development Projects. The mentoring program is another initiative of the SPLDP and all fees charged to participate in the program are covered by these projects.

To find out more about the mentoring program [email protected] for a Mentee Application Form.

Today representatives of public libraries had an excursion to the centre in Port Melbourne to see our inter-library loans courier service in action. Thanks to Ross, Jimi & Ange for your hospitality

Join BorrowBox for an exclusive online event with the bestselling author of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, Heather Morris, as she discusses her captivating new novel, Sisters of the Rising Sun. Thurs 21 Sept at 5pm AEST. Sign up to this free event here: https://bolinda.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ntzzGIn4TciU8i_wMTU6vA #/registration

In collaboration with Public Libraries Victoria convened a seminar yesterday called Library Leadership in Disruptive Times. Our incredible lineup included Minister for Equality SLV CEO ’s Trish Hepworth & Dr Todd Fernando; our CEO moderated a panel of lightning talks that included representatives from AWARE .vic & . With public libraries at the forefront of democracy, our place in communities as temples of trusted knowledge and sanctuaries of diversity and inclusion is more important than ever.

We had a great time today drawing the winners of our Warm Winter Read challenge. Sixteen lucky people across Victoria will soon receive prize packs of three books each, including these titles, featuring some of our 2022 and 2023 author ambassadors Alice Pung Thanks to Reader Development Special Interest Group co-convenors & aka Meaghan Dew for the draw & our generous publishers for the prizes

Spotted at Kathleen Syme Library today

We were honoured to have Maree Edwards MP launch our revised Early Years Handbook for Public Libraries in Castlemaine. An updated edition of a 2017 publication by State Library Victoria and Public Libraries Victoria, the handbook focuses on inclusive early years literacy practice to ensure families of all kinds feel welcome in the library. The handbook will help library staff to create opportunities for all children to see themselves and their families in the stories they read, sing, listen to, watch, feel and/or sign.

I love our local libraries.

And on Friday over 100 librarians from across Victoria visited Castlemaine Library for a day of networking.

I stopped by to say hello, and to launch Public Libraries Victoria's updated Early Years Handbook.

A brilliant resource to ensure our littlest Victorians are getting the most out of these important community spaces.

Goldfields Libraries

The weather may be cold but our CEO received a very warm welcome at Warragul Library today, thanks to Kellie & Nicole. She’s looking forward to the staff development day tomorrow.