Keep calm and read a good library book

THE ADDITION of more titles to Libraries Tasmania reference and lending collections, including a jigsaw collection, is giving more choice to the State’s readers. The Minister for Education and Training, Jeremy Rockliff, said more than 700 junior non-fiction books, 1500 books requested by Tasmanians and 200-plus reference books on specific subjects have been added to the State Library collection. ‘The Tasmanian Government’s $3m Bringing Back Libraries election commitment is making our libraries more accessible and significantly enhancing the user experience. ‘This funding is improving the breadth and quality of library collections.’

Among the library branches benefiting are the Deloraine and Westbury branches of the State Library. Deloraine Library lent 34,743 items in January to December 2019, with 25,369 in-person visits. Westbury Library lent 15,412 items, with 14,443 in-person visits. Across the state, expanded and improved library resources and services include:
• more titles added to lending and reference collections
• 135 more games added to the console game collection
• removing fees for book groups and adding over 300 book club items
• expansion of the e-lending service in size, variety and demand
• beginning a roll-out of 33 on-shelf catalogues across the Tasmanian library network
• publishing video tutorials on the Libraries Tasmania website
• purchasing a jigsaw library for community use. Further improvements for Libraries Tasmania this year will include installing more after-hours return chutes at a range of libraries and exploring ways to expand remote services in rural and regional Tasmania. Over the past year, Libraries Tasmania has seen a 10 per cent increase in participation and more than 8000 new members have signed up for its various services.