SE Qld Regional Rep Teresa Kohne has been catching up on the latest activities from across the south-east region.
Gympie Regional Libraries
Local history talk at Cooinda Aged Care
Library staff visited Cooinda Aged Care in September to share the local history of the timber industry in the Gympie region. The presentation included the history of timber felling, the use of timber in the early infrastructure of homes, bridges and the mining industry, along with images and stories of the local sawmills such as Ferguson & Co (also known as Union Sawmill). They also learned about the amazing bullock teams which carted huge timber, local timber pioneers (including the Lynch sisters) and how the forestry industry has changed over time.
Seed Library
During the month of October members of Gympie Regional Libraries can get free seeds as part of the Seed Library Project. Library members can collect one free seed packet when they borrow five or more items from their library. The library also has a variety of gardening books available to assist in creating your very own veggie patch!
Featured October events
Mary Valley Prisoners of War @ GYMPIE LIBRARY
Did you know that during the 1940s many farms in the Gympie region housed approximately 214 Italian Prisoners of War? Attendees came to hear an interesting personal account and see photos of how the Italian Prisoners of War lived and worked in our region. This presentation was presented by long term local Mr Alex Miles, who grew up on a farm where his family housed the Italian Prisoners of War.
Learn to play Ukulele @ RAINBOW BEACH LIBRARY
Attendees came to learn a new skill, or touch up on an old one. There was an option to bring your own ukulele or use one of the supplied ones to learn and improve over four one hour sessions. Singers were also welcome to join.
Sustainable Saturdays – Veggie Patch 101 with Clair Bickle @ GYMPIE LIBRARY
This session shared the secret to growing an abundance of vegetables throughout all the seasons, covering all the basics and more. From soil preparation and additives to site selection, fertiliser choices, mulching and watering. It also looked at what to grow with regards to traditional vegetable varieties, heat tolerant selections, successive planting and how that creates successive harvesting. The session also covered organic pest and disease control and as well as troubleshooting galore.
Page Turners – David Dufty @ GYMPIE LIBRARY
Before the NBN, before the Snowy River Scheme, the greatest infrastructure achievement in Australian history was the completion of the Overland Telegraph in 1872. Its singing wires traversed the continent north to south, including desert landscapes not previously trodden by Europeans. David Dufty has uncovered never before published details about the project. It was the greatest feat of engineering in 19th century Australia, one that very nearly collapsed in the face of immense challenges.
City of Moreton Bay Libraries
Redcliffe Library refurbishment
Redcliffe Library, opened in 1999, has undergone a major refurbishment to ensure that this iconic, architecturally important building can continue to provide contemporary library services to the community.
Designed by Don Watson, winner of the Australian Institute of Architect’s Gold Medal for 2021, in partnership with Gerry Murtagh, another leading Queensland designer, the original library reflected the local context with red and white brickwork, a louvre system to make use of sea breezes, an arcade of windows that reflected local shopfronts and timber features throughout that referenced the seaside fishing industry and recreational boating that is important to the area. Our goal was to preserve and celebrate all the original features of the building, while creating spaces that a contemporary library audience could easily access and enjoy.
Key elements of the refurbishment include a Pavilion space that is utilised during opening hours as a quiet space adjacent to the new Local History room. The Pavilion is activated for events, with seating capacity for 80 people, contemporary audio-visual equipment, and a wheelchair accessible stage, which is a first in City of Moreton Bay Libraries. A Changing Places Bathroom for customers with high levels of physical disability was also installed, and it is the first Changing Places Bathroom in a standalone library facility in Queensland. The meeting rooms and foyer also had a makeover, with new carpet installed to reflect the tones in the timber and the graduated ochre colours in the cliffs along the foreshore.
Another key element of the refurbishment is the installation of a Welcoming Artwork, by First Nations artist Jason Douglas. Jason was endorsed by the Kabi Kabi traditional owners to create an artwork, hung at our six libraries located on Kabi land, to welcome First Nations people to the space. There is more work to do at Redcliffe Library, a new children’s space will be installed this financial year as well as plans for Phase 2 and 3 of the refurbishment in future years, so watch this space!
Noosa Libraries
Noosa Libraries win the 2024 LG Award for The Digital Leaders Program
Noosa Libraries are thrilled to recently win the 2024 LG Award for our Digital Leaders Program. For many, the pace of digital change is overwhelming, and individuals are at risk of being left behind and unable to participate in daily life tasks which many of us take for granted. Noosa Libraries had great success in delivering Tech Savvy Seniors grant-funded programs, and when this funding opportunity ceased, it was a priority for Noosa Libraries to initiate a similar program to support our community’s digital needs.
The Digital Leaders program concept was formed following a very successful Covid Vaccine Support program that Noosa Libraries and the Peregian Digital Hub developed. In 2021, nine Digital Cadets delivered 37 sessions, helping 555 people to navigate Covid vaccine requirements and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive.
This program brings emerging, young leaders in tech, who have come through the Hub’s cadetship program, into the Cooroy and Noosaville Libraries, to share their knowledge and skills with the wider community. Through a series of free hands-on workshops, tutorials and one-on-one coaching sessions, participants can gain practical experience and confidence in navigating an increasingly digital society.
This inter-generational, partnership program between Noosa Libraries and the Peregian Digital Hub is unique as it’s been designed to:
- Utilise the skills and strength of our younger generation who have the required tech skills
- Create opportunities for skills development and employment for Peregian Digital Hub’s young digital talent
- Provide connection between the generations which in turn helps people feel less isolated
The program, now operating for seven months has been hugely successful, with seven Digital Leaders helping 285 people in over 50 sessions. The customers have ranged in age from 50 – 81+ with many in the 81+ age group. The Digital Leaders are an impressive group who have now progressed to stage 2 of the program, with two Digital Leaders recently delivering booked out talks on AI and cloud storage!
Redland City Libraries
Makerspace opens at Cleveland Library!
Redland City Council, in collaboration with the State Library of Queensland, proudly launched their brand-new Makerspace facility at Cleveland Library recently. This dedicated space features sewing machines, an overlocker, an embroidery machine, Cricut, 3D printer, a media conversion station. A laser cutter is on the way!
Like other Makerspaces, Cleveland Library’s facility offers unlimited opportunities for library members to discover new skills and interests! After completing a free induction and safety program, library members can then book time, at no cost, to explore the wide array of tools and resources independently. We anticipate this Makerspace will soon become a vibrant hub of creativity and innovation where community members can experience hands-on experiences in technology, crafting, media and design. While library staff will be overseeing the Makerspace, equipment use is self guided and each individual uses the space individually, as dedicated Makerspace staffing is not currently in place.
Our learnings along the way!
We sincerely thank our library colleagues across Queensland who offered insight and advice in creating the Cleveland Makerspace. Prior to setting up the space our Library staff visited Makerspaces and spoke to colleagues at Gympie, Noosa, Carindale and Ipswich. Considerations and decisions have included age levels to use the space, cost vs free, induction procedures, booking systems, safety considerations and opening hours. It has been a learning curve with several pivots along the way! We also worked in with our Council facilities and IT Teams to fit out the new space include electrical, flooring and secure access.
Community use of the space
Community response has been overwhelmingly positive with some equipment including the 3D printer having waiting lists. Library members are very enthusiastic in that they are booking in to learn multiple pieces of equipment. Media conversion was a new session introduced recently with classes well attended. One client who is visually impaired was very excited as she said the sewing machines are easy to use and she can operate them with no problem.
Click here to learn more Makerspace at Cleveland Library | Redland City Council
Sunshine Coast Libraries
Growing well, Seed Library blooms region-wide
Spring is the perfect time to get out into the garden and Sunshine Coast Libraries invite members to ‘Grab, Grow and Donate’ with their Seed Library this spring. For locals looking for some encourage-mint to get into gardening, the Seed Library has spread and is now available at all Sunshine Coast Libraries, including mobile libraries.
The expansion followed the success of the Seed Library at Maleny and Kawana Libraries. Since February last year our library members have been collecting and donating seeds for fruit, vegetables and flowers, including from some local and heirloom fruit and vegetable varieties that may otherwise be lost.
It has been a wonderful example of sustainability in action, and we are proud this program will now be available at all our libraries. It’s easy to get involved, library members can grab up to four seed packets per month and once the plants have matured, can harvest some seeds and donate them back to the Seed Library.
For more information visit the Sunshine Coast Libraries website.
First 5 Forever communication boards
Communication boards have been created in partnership with Sunshine Sign and Sing and are situated in a number of parks across the Sunshine Coast region. Each board contains a range of pictures and signs that can be used to express needs and wants, ask questions and offer choices.
Each park contains three boards with basic keyword signs and symbols from Key Word Sign (KWS). KWS adds signs to common spoken words. While KWS is not a sign language, it borrows some signs from the sign language of the country it is used in. In Australia this is Auslan.
Each board has a QR code to a video playlist for each park featuring Sunshine Sign and Sing staff modelling the actions of all the keyword signs on the boards to aid parents and carers to learn the signs themselves.
The communication boards have been funded by the First 5 Forever program. Head to the Sunshine Coast Libraries website for more information.
