LIBRARY VISITATION RISES IN 2023
The Macquarie Regional Library experienced significant visitation growth in 2023 with a 11.5 per cent increase on members of the community utilising the Dubbo and Wellington Library branches from January to September 2023.
“We have had over 77,000 people come through the doors of the Dubbo and Wellington branches during that period this year,” Macquarie Regional Library Manager Kathryn McAlister said.
The number of loans through the local branches has also increased in the same period by 20 per cent with over 122,000 loans of physical books.
“It is great to see the visitation return to over pre-covid levels. The team have introduced lots of new events and programs as part of the library’s services, so it is really positive to see these new additions boosting visitation.”
“The winter reading program, 1000 books before school, story time, book club and the school holiday activities were all popular programs throughout the past year and contributed to the great visitation result.”
The Macquarie Regional Library has also experienced growth in the use of the online library with a 30 per cent increase from January to October 2023 on downloads of eBooks, eAudio, eFilms and eMagazines.
“Our online library is one area of the Macquarie Regional Library that is continuing to grow at a rapid pace. We offer over 40,000 different e-resources and these are all free to access.”
The Macquarie Regional Library offers a range of different services including access to computers and the internet for free, as well as meeting spaces.
“Over the past year we have seen an increased use of the library as a meeting space, with the Dubbo Library meeting rooms booked out most days. It has also been great to see a high number of HSC students returning to the library post covid to utilise the library as a study space,” Ms McAlister said.
In 2023 the Dubbo and Wellington Libraries have delivered 386 programs and events to the community which includes the most recent addition of the Crafty Kids Club in Dubbo and the Email to eBooks course for adults in Wellington.
It is free to become a member of the Macquarie Regional Library, simply visit a branch to sign up or go online at www.mrl.nsw.gov.au.
Last Edited: 04 Jan 2024