In August, Minister for Local Government, Candy Broad, along with celebrated authors, Shane Maloney and Errol Broome, launched an Australian first $500,000 LibraryLink website at the Northcote Library in Melbourne’s City of Darebin.
The website will give Victoria’s 2.5 million public library users unprecedented access to the 10 million books, CDs and other items in the State’s public library catalogues.
“The Bracks Government believes all Victorians deserve decent access to library services,” Candy Broad said. “From now on, finding your favourite book will be as simple as logging on to this new service and searching all public libraries across Victoria. Bookworms will no longer need to drive from library to library or search individual websites for the hundreds of local libraries to find out if their book of choice is on the shelves.”
The Minister said new geographic areas of Victoria will be added to the database over the next six months, eventually providing complete coverage of the State. LibraryLink currently covers 47 metropolitan libraries in the Darebin, Boroondara, Casey Cardinia, and the City of Port Phillip areas. It also covers 97 country public libraries in the north and west of Victoria, giving nearly 45 per cent of Victorians access to the service.
Candy Broad said the new website enables all library users to search and place online requests from their homes, in schools and anywhere people have access to the Internet.
“Students in particular will love this system, as finding the perfect textbook can be challenging at the best of times,” she said. “Victorian students can also find books for the Premier’s reading challenge. LibraryLink will instantly tell you where an item can be found and can have it sent to your local library for collection.”
The LibraryLink Victoria website can be viewed at www.llv.net.au
