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Future Ready Libraries | Goldfields Library Corporation

Future Ready Libraries

Future Ready Libraries  

We're looking ahead to the next four years! 

We're revisiting our library strategy to ensure we're meeting your needs. Have your hopes and expectations of public libraries changed? What do you expect from your local public library? We want to hear your thoughts to ensure we deliver a service that meets your needs and interests and makes our communities proud.

Libraries have changed dramatically in recent years. They are bustling community hubs with so much potential, but more work still needs to be done. We have some ideas about what makes a great library service, but we want to hear YOUR thoughts.   

Help shape the future of our libraries and have YOUR say!

Get involved:

Go to survey

or come to one of our community events:

Future Ready Morning Tea

Grab a cuppa and share morning tea with us as we talk all things libraries! We want to hear YOUR thoughts!

No bookings required.

Tuesday 18 June, 10am-12pm
Bendigo Library

Future Ready Libraries Comic Workshop

Calling all dreamers, library lovers and time travellers. Help us create the libraries of the future in this fun comic workshop where you'll be guided in channelling your big (or small) ideas into a mini zine. We welcome the improbable, the impossible, and even the impractical. Your comics will inform our new library strategy.

All ages.

Friday 21 June, 4-5pm
Castlemaine Library
Book Now

Future Ready Storytimes

We read and sing to celebrate our wonderful libraries, followed by an activity for smalls and their adults to plan our future library service.

No bookings required.

Toddler Time @ Kangaroo Flat
Wednesday 12 June, 10.30-11am

Storytime @ Heathcote
Friday 14 June, 9.30-10am

Baby Rhyme Time @ Kyneton
Tuesday 18 June, 10.30-11am

Storytime @Boort
Thursday 27 June, 10.30-11am

Q&A's

Why are you developing the strategy?

The needs, hopes, and expectations of public libraries evolve over time, so it’s important that we hear from you, our community, to ensure our library services remain relevant and impactful as we shape our future. 

Our updated strategic plan will continue to assess the demand for services across different demographic and population settings. It will provide direction not only for our current library sites but also for the development of new services and infrastructure, particularly in rural and remote areas, and areas experiencing growth. 

It will also consider a growing commitment to the concept of community hubs, as libraries can often be key tenants and generators of significant community activity and engagement as part of community hub spaces.

What sort of things will the Strategy guide?

While we may not be able to fulfil every hope and dream in our future library development, we are fully committed to prioritising the needs and wants of our communities over the coming years. This will include consideration of the extent to which we are getting it right or how we could do better in:

  • Outreach services (Home Library Service, services to remote communities, getting out and about in the community)
  • Online services (our website, online catalogue system, eLibrary and social media platforms)
  • Location of library services
  • Service gaps in growing communities
  • Possibilities/preferences for co-location of libraries into community hubs 
  • Co-location of, or partnership with, other services in our existing libraries
  • Literacy development
  • Lifelong learning
  • The role libraries can play in community wellbeing and resilience
  • Understanding barriers to people accessing library services
  • Exploring other models of service delivery to reach those who could benefit most

Who runs our local libraries?

Goldfields Libraries operates libraries in Greater Bendigo, Macedon Ranges Shire, Mount Alexander Shire and Loddon Shire. They are funded by the four councils through their annual budgets. Funding is also received from the Victorian Government’s Public Library Funding Program. Our local government partners also provide the buildings from which our local libraries operate.

How many library branches does Goldfields Libraries operate?

Goldfields Libraries runs nine stand-alone libraries and eight agency libraries across four shires. Agency libraries, with shorter opening hours, are co-located with other community based services with the support of a community based library team and volunteers. Bendigo Library is also home to the Bendigo Regional Archives Centre. All branches and agencies share a collection of more than 220,000 books, audiobooks, magazines, DVDs and CDs, which are available for loan across the whole region. 

Goldfields Libraries are located in:

  • Bendigo
  • Kangaroo Flat
  • Eaglehawk
  • Heathcote
  • Axedale (agency)
  • Elmore (agency)
  • Castlemaine
  • Gisborne
  • Kyneton
  • Romsey
  • Woodend
  • Boort (agency)
  • Dingee (agency)
  • Inglewood (agency)
  • Pyramid Hill (agency)
  • Tarnagulla (agency)
  • Wedderburn (agency)

How many members does Goldfields Libraries have?

We have more than 61,000 library members across our four shires.

What services and facilities are offered at local libraries?

Your local library offers the following items and services for free:

  • Books, magazines, newspapers, audiobooks, CDs along with digital formats available to borrow
  • Fast Wi-Fi
  • Computers to use
  • Programs and events, both in-person and online, for all ages and interests
  • Device tech-help
  • Research help and resources
  • Airconditioned spaces with comfy seating for work, study or leisure
  • Meeting and activity rooms (some may incur costs)

I haven’t visited a library for years, so why should I visit one now?

Libraries these days are bustling community hubs. Pop in, and you’ll see children attending Storytime sessions, staff helping with tech issues and research enquiries, community members using meeting rooms, young people hanging out after school, and so much more. Our spaces are used for programs, events, activities, movie screenings, meetings, and just to relax or connect with others. You can come and find a warm smile, something interesting to do, and stay warm in winter or cool in summer.

Libraries also remain important quiet places for browsing, reading, relaxing, studying, working or researching.  And, of course, there are also shelves upon shelves of books, magazines, newspapers, audiobooks and CDs.

Best of all, you get all this for free.