I give significant attention to being Library Board Chair for the Whitehorse Manningham Regional Library Corporation (WML). Regional Library Corporations can’t continue after 2030, due to changes to the Local Government Act. In the next 8 years, there must be governance change.
Entwined with choosing a new governance structure, there are many broader challenges. In my lifetime, we’ve shifted from equal library funding from state and federal government to local government shouldering 80% of the cost base. When requirements like COVID check in marshals arise – which continued to apply to our libraries until 23 April 2022 – cost burdens escalate.
Add in very strategic questions about best library services to meet priority community needs, and we face both complexity and opportunity. Over the 2022/23 year, you can expect to hear more about work on the WML strategy and governance transition.
Meanwhile, check out the free WML App via the App Store or Google Play. The ‘click and collect’ feature enables you to arrange the contactless collection of reserved items. The ‘self-service’ feature allows you to borrow library books in branch using your mobile phone. Library staff are ready to help with using the App or other needs as you integrate our libraries into your life.
A different sort of governance opportunity exists on the Council of Blackburn English Language School on Eley Road. This is a small and agile School Council which partly reflects that the School Community is constantly changing. Most students attend two terms only before transitioning to permanent schools. The School vibe benefits from a fantastic level of authentic inclusion. If you have a passion for good governance and diversity and would like to find out more about this School Council, please contact me.
