YPRL is on Wikipedia

Did you know that Wikipedia’s online encyclopaedia is represented in 287 languages and contains more than 30 million articles? Volunteers from around the world contribute content or create new entries on a wide range of topics via continuous crowdsourcing. It is one of the most popular sites on the internet. Wikipedia can be considered a search engine its own right because of the immense breadth of subject matter it contains.
We are happy to launch the updated Yarra Plenty Regional Library article on Wikipedia today as Wikicommons also launches its #1lib1ref South campaign encouraging Librarians to add citations to Wikipedia.

What a journey..

The integral philosophy of any bookmobile library service, now more commonly known as mobile libraries is to provide a library service to remote communities who otherwise cannot always access our traditional library buildings. Like our branch libraries (nine across our three council areas in addition to our Outreach Van), the service is subject to budgets, grant funding, keeping up with community needs in terms of collection, technology, working with our colleagues at Councils and more.

Yarra Plenty Regional Library has always been proud of our mobile library service and it is an integral part of who we are and what we do. The very first bookmobile in Victoria began operating in May 1954 by the City of Heidelberg. Back then it was known as the travelling free library. In 1956, the stops included West Ivanhoe, Fairfield, Rosanna Fire Station and East Ivanhoe.

Victoria's First mobile library

The Shire of Eltham and the Shire of Whittlesea soon followed with their own local versions and when the Shire of Whittlesea joined Heidelberg Library Service in 1976, part of that agreement was the contribution of their bookmobile.

Shire of Whittlesea mobile Library 1970s

In October 1985 the Heidelberg Regional Library Service became Yarra Plenty Regional Library Service after the four member councils, namely Diamond Valley, Eltham, Heidelberg and Whittlesea felt it was time to adopt a name reflecting the wide area we serve.  As our communities grow and change it is interesting to look at the “stops” or local communities the mobile library has served.  In 1977 stops included Eltham North, the YMCA at McLeod, West Heidelberg, Plenty, Yan Yean Road and Montmorency.

The Whittlesea bookmobile servicing the Shire of Whittlesea at that time stopped at Blamey Avenue Mill Park, Kingsway Drive Lalor, Bundoora Shopping Centre and Plenty Road, Bundoora as well as outside the craft shop at Kinglake.  By 1986 the bookmobiles serviced 57 sites on a weekly basis from Kal Kallo to Kinglake to West Heidelberg.  In 1987 a new state of the art bookmobile complete with semi-trailer replaced the two old vehicles

A snapshot from the 1991 / 92 annual report reported that on a weekly basis the bookmobile visited 20 communities and towns in the region working a 6 day week providing 43.5 hours of service to the community.  It is believed that the bookmobile provides the most extensive service of its kind in the state.  Heavily used stops at this time were Mill Park, Diamond Creek, Bundoora Shopping Centre, Epping, Kinglake and Hurstbridge.  In 1993 the bookmobile was repainted a bright yellow and green.

In February 2006 a brand new custom built mobile library was launched.  The nineteen metre vehicle held more than 6000 items, three computers with free internet access via a satellite dish on the roof and wheelchair access.  It had nearly 5000 members and loaned 107,000 items every year.

1988

In April 2009 the bookmobile played its small role in returning a sense of normality to fire-affected areas following Black Saturday with stops at St Andrews and Arthurs Creek Primary School. In December 2011 re-branding took place with new décor communicating the many benefits of the library to the community.

Over the years the Mobile library has been spotted at local festivals including the City of Banyule Arty Farty Festival and the Whittlesea Community Festival . Preschoolers and Primary School students alike have enjoyed story times. In 2011 a second facelift of the outside decor took place featuring faces from our community.

YPRL Mobile Library 2012

In December 2017 came the announcement that two long term staff members were retiring. With over a combined 64 years’ experience working with YPRL, both Paul Ross and Alan Hatty have always been highly regarded by library patrons far and wide and will be greatly missed. 

Alan and Paul in 2012 and Nillumbik Cr. Lewis Brock with Alan and Ian Hamilton aboard the mobile library 2011. Source: Leader Newspapers

Across December and January YPRL’s mobile library underwent much-needed repairs and refurbishment. The outer shell of the mobile library has also undergone a transformation, and it is now sporting a fresh new look to make sure it stands out on the roads. As you can see, it certainly is eye-catching!  

Everyone is welcome to visit the state of the art mobile library to borrow any of the 10,500 items in stock, including a wide range of books for all ages, DVDs, magazines, talking books and large print publications or access a computer with free internet and access the library’s electronic resources.

February 2018

YPRL CEO Farewelled

Staff and local, state and international colleagues farewelled Yarra Plenty Regional Library’s Chief Executive Officer last week.
Christine Mackenzie has retired after a 41 year career culminating with 12 years in “the best job in Australia”. Prior to joining YPRL, Christine worked at the State Library of Victoria, Mordiallic Chelsea Library, Mornington Peninsula Library and Brisbane Libraries.
Christine followed Craig Anderson as CEO in 2004 at a time when technology was about to impact people’s lives as never before. YPRL staff were only the second library in the world to undertake online Web 2.0 training. A new Strategic Plan was soon adopted by the Library Board and the wireless wide area network was initiated. A supplier aided shelf ready collection was also initiated with savings from this directed into the establishment of a Community Engagement team based at Library Support Services.
In 2006 a new mobile library fleet was launched. In 2007 Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) was initiated enabling customers to borrow their own items, thus freeing staff for customer service and programming. Wikinorthia, a website designed to document life in Melbourne’s north was launched, in partnership with Darebin and Moreland libraries.
In 2008, Yarra Plenty Regional Library was the first library to procure and start loaning ebooks in a consortium with Brisbane Libraries. In 2009 following Black Saturday, YPRL was a major partner with the ALIA Disaster Recovery Project. In 2011 a staff branch restructure took place. In 2012 the National Broadband Network Project was implemented.
In 2013 Whittlesea Library, the newest branch opened and our first makerspace at Mill Park Library were opened. The Reading Rover was launched.
A number of major refurbishments have taken place across all eight branches of the Region.
Christine has always been a strong advocate of staff development supporting a number of staff in attending the State Library of Victoria Shared Leadership program, encouraging attendance and often making presentations at both local and overseas conferences. She introduced a program which made YPRL unique - the international Staff Exchange program. Several exchanges were conducted between sister library services in Europe and the USA.
Christine has been a supporter of the Global Libraries’ initiative INELI (International Network of Library Innovators) with a representative of YPRL taking part in the second program. This is a regional leadership program for emerging library leaders. Christine’s involvement resulted in YPRL hosting the INELI – Oceania in 2015.
She has been an active member of the Public Libraries Victoria Network and the Public Lending Right Committee. She remains a governing member of the International Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA).
The organisation has developed a strong vision and direction under Christine’s guidance and the latest Strategic Plan 2013-2017 will see her work continued.
Yarra Plenty Regional Library welcomes new CEO Di Shaw on 15 February 2016

Happy Birthday Us!

Thirty years ago today, four member councils of Heidelberg Regional Library Service, namely Diamond Valley, Eltham, Heidelberg and Whittlesea felt it was time to adopt a name reflecting the wide area we serve.

Staff were asked to suggest suitable names.  Names included Plenty Regional Library and Heidelberg Plenty Regional Library. Alan Marshall Regional Library, Heidelberg to Whittlesea Regional Library, Merri Plenty Regional Library, North East Hill Regional Library, Plenty Green Regional Library and  All the Rivers Run Regional Library Service.

In the early days of Victoria's settlement the area then covered by the Shires of Diamond Valley and Whittlesea was known as the Plenty. Combine that names with Yarra which is the river which borders on Eltham and Heidleberg. Geoff Carson, the Chief Executive Officer chose Yarra Plenty as the new name for the Regional Library Service.

Eltham Pioneers Collection

Photo: SEPP_0049 Loading fruit for market, Kinglake (Shire of Eltham Pioneers Photograph collection)

Eltham District Historical Society kicks off its 2015 program of events on Wednesday 11 February highlighting photos from the Shire of Eltham Pioneers Photograph collection.  This collection of over 400 photos in total includes a large geographic area extending from Kinglake to Lower Plenty.

It is hoped that interested audience members will share their own memories, recollections and further insight about the photos that will be shown.  All welcome.

EDHS meets at the Eltham Senior Citizen’s Centre, Library Place, Eltham.  Wednesday 11 February at 7.30 pm.