Invitation to help shape new community centre in Irymple
Published on 27 July 2017
Non-profit community organisations and groups interested in operating a new Community Resource Centre from the Irymple Library building next year are encouraged to attend an information session next month.
The information session will follow the opening this Friday of expressions of interest to run the facility.
The information session will be held at the Irymple Library building at 5pm on Monday, 14 August.
Both the information session and opening of expressions of interest follow a decision by Councillors in May this year to adopt the recommendations of a comprehensive review of library services.
The review found that changes were needed to some Council library services following a major shift in the way residents access these services.
It revealed that some services and venues, including the mobile library service and Irymple Library, were suffering from an unsustainable combination of declining patronage, increasing costs and decreased Victorian Government funding.
Mildura Rural City Councillor for Arts and Culture Jason Modica said that in the case of the Irymple Library, this situation was worsened by the close proximity and convenience of the Mildura and Red Cliffs libraries.
Following an exhaustive community consultation process, it was recommended that an alternative library service model be established in Irymple.
As part of the recommendation endorsed by Councillors, the alternative model would include offering the current library building to a local volunteer organisation to operate a community centre.
This community centre could include a library agency offering books, DVDs and other items, computers with internet access, WiFi access and a drop-off and pick-up point.
“In deciding on these changes, Council tried wherever possible to include the feedback we received during the consultation process,” Cr Modica said.
“We’ve tried to find the balance between ensuring a sustainable service for the community while meeting the community’s needs, and we believe this is the best way of achieving this.”
Combined, these and other changes to library services adopted in May this year, are expected to save rate payers $190,000 a year and ensure the region’s libraries continue to remain viable and meet the community’s needs.
Cr Modica said the opening of expressions of interest this week and next month’s information session were the next steps in establishing the new model for Irymple, which was expected to be in place by the start of the 2018/2019 financial year.
Groups and organisations intending to submit an expression of interest must attend next month’s information session.
More information about the expression of interest process will be available from the Have Your Say page of Council’s website from Friday, 28 July at www.mildura.vic.gov.au/haveyoursay. Expressions of interest must be submitted by 5pm on Friday, 29 September.
For more information and to register for next month’s information session contact Council’s Library Services Manager on (03) 5018 8350.
Media enquiries
Ben Piscioneri
p) (03) 5018 8689
e) ben.piscioneri@mildura.vic.gov.au