With Melbourne in its fifth week of stage four restrictions, council libraries have resorted to new and innovative ways to stay connected with their users.
The Yarra Plenty Regional Library – a service comprising nine branch libraries withing the Banyule, Nillumbik, and Whittlesea councils – reacted to the plight of people unable to borrow books by ringing every library member aged over 70.
These people were offered help with access services or counselling support, or given technical assistance.
Monash City Council libraries supplied reading material to accompany Meals on Wheels deliveries, calling recipients in advance to ascertain their reading tastes.
Hobson’s Bay City Council delivered guitars to households in partnership with a local organisation, Guitars Gathering Dust, which provides schools with reconditioned instruments for music students.
A patron of Moreland City Council’s libraries said he had received a book delivered in person before the stage four lockdowns accompanied by a handwritten note from the librarian.
Libraries in and around Melbourne have reported a big surge in the popularity of online resources such audio and e-books, and film streaming services.