yarra ranges mobile library service - what do you think?

report from the roundtable - 28 jun

At council this week, councillors had to consider proposed improvements to the Yarra Ranges Mobile Library Service.

The key improvements recommended in the report include:
- Replacing the existing Ranges and Valley Mobile service with smaller resource vehicles allowing greater access to many sites as well as meeting best practice sustainability requirements from an economic, social and environmental perspective.
- Addressing access issues often experienced by disadvantaged members of the community by expanding the current mobile library service site visits to include caravan parks, aged care facilities, festivals and events.
- Enhancing community wellbeing by supporting the proposed introduction and expansion of library services including offering library programs that focus on literacy and other areas of intererst and identified need.
- Increasing access to Information Communications Technology such as internet, e-readers and audio books through the provision of library services and programs in Community Hubs.

There's some really innovative ideas in the proposal, of particular note is the new way to connect the community in one of our most remote townships, Powelltown, to a library service through the General Store.

Another thing that is a real positive is that this proposed new service reaches those who are most disadvantaged and disconnected with our library service. There's a lot of positives and council looks forward to hearing what you think.

Councillors voted unanimously to release the report for community consultation.