1. Libraries Building Communities: delivering the message A seminar for public library service managers and other senior staff Executive Summary

2. Public libraries - a crucial community asset Public libraries are a crucial community asset - represent a substantial investment by government and community overtime LBC - documents role in community building Maps out their enormous potential for the future Critical to the sustainability of community building effort

3. Public libraries - an ideal vehicle for community building Accessible Responsive Well known Well used Well resourced Close synergies with government objectives

4. DVC’s Outcomes focus

5. Contributing in four key areas  Overcoming the digital divide  Creating well informed communities  Enhancing learning and literacy skills  Building social capital

6. Overcoming the digital divide The ‘digital divide’ is a growing concern Ability to access and use information is not equally distributed Exacerbation of inequality Impact on community capacity to develop economically and socially

7. The role of public libraries Providing access to technology Developing technology skills Exploiting technology to benefit communities Satellite technology at Upper Murray Regional Library Service Services for visually impaired people at the National Information Library Service

8. Creating informed communities Communities need to become smarter and quicker at gaining and using information Problem of information overload Communities are bound together by information Access to services - require better access to information

9. The role of public libraries Navigating and accessing information Librarians - trusted professionals Help individuals develop information skills A source of community information Key distribution point for government information

10. Enhancing learning and literacy skills Knowledge economy Lifelong learning Children and literacy Vulnerable learners

11. The role of public libraries Convenient and comfortable places of learning Support formal and informal learning Encouraging reading - Moreland Reading Project Facilitating learning - Hume Global Learning Centre Developing information and computer literacy - Greater Dandenong Libraries Supporting vulnerable learners - YMRLC

12. Building Social Capital The glue that holds communities together Enables residents to act collectively Solid people climate Basis for social and economic regeneration Concern with decline in social capital Low levels - lower educational performance, higher crime rates

13. The role of public libraries Community hubs - Glenelg Regional Library Corporation Social inclusion - Casey Cardinia Library Corp. Reaching out to the community - Boroondara Library Service Appreciation of cultural differences - Maribyrnong Library Service Creating pride of place - Kerang Library Building bridges to government - Mitchell Library Service

14. Placing a value on public libraries High levels of satisfaction Valued by users and non-users Benefits of a free service Large library adding value to users in the order of $730 million per annum Small library in the order of $10 million Far in excess of the annual expenditure of between $350k and $11 million

15. Challenges for the future Resourcing Upgrading technology Developing partnerships Workforce development Library infrastructure New image