Libraries forge ahead

Published on 03 June 2020

Mayor Frank Carbone standing in front of a sign saying FAIRFIELD at Fairfield City Museum and Gallery

Our libraries are popular with residents of all ages, for leisure, for work and for study.

While residents have been unable to physically visit libraries during the COVID-19 shutdown period, we have seen a rise in the number of online loans and online members accessing the huge range of online materials like ebooks, e-newspapers, movies and online courses – all for FREE.

I am pleased to let you know that as restrictions are gradually being eased, we are making it easier for you to borrow physical library items with our new Order and Collect service.

Library members can call our libraries or go online to order books, audiobooks, tablets, videos and DVDs, and then collect the items from one of our libraries. All returned items will be sanitised and quarantined for 36 hours to ensure they are safe for the next member to borrow. If you’re not a library member, now is a great time to join.

This is the latest transformation of our libraries service as we gradually reopen to the public. We also expanded our home library service where we deliver items to homes with a priority to those who are housebound and unable to go online.

Especially in cooler months, there’s nothing better than finding a warm, comfortable place to sit and enjoy a good book. That is why Council is doing everything we can to make our collections available while ensuring the health and wellbeing of residents and staff.

Our mental health is just as important as our physical health during this pandemic. Reading is a great way to exercise the mind and have fun in the comfort of our own homes.

I’m proud of the service our libraries provide to our community and the benefit they bring to families. I thank everyone for their patience as we work to transform our services while following social distancing requirements.

For more information visit www.fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au/library or call 9725 0333.