My local library joins the big world

One of the terrific things about my local library has been its membership of a group of seven, the SWAP network, which gave us access to books from a group of local libraries.
This has provided a terrific service.

But now the Campbelltown Library has become one of the early joiners of One Card, an initiative to network all South Australian Public Libraries.

These libraries are generally funded by their local councils and provide services free of cost.

How lucky are we?

And what a tribute to NYOR 2012, Australia's National Year of Reading. 

Our libraries are vibrant places providing wonderful service.

Find out more about the One Card rollout here. It began 6 months ago and will take approximately 3 years. It will give users access to millions of items.

The Campbelltown Public Library provides books for all ages, including an amazing children's section, magazines and newspapers, books in a variety of languages reflecting the multicultural nature of the council area, videos, audio books, CDS etc., a toy library, computers for individual use and a computer lab, children's sessions, after school clubs, a JP service, quiet reading areas, and small meeting spaces.

National Bookshop Day Australia 2012

Many thanks to Random House Australia which sent me this reminder/invitation.

I must admit I am not buying nearly enough paper books.

And here is a card I picked up a couple of weeks ago for the Matilda Book shop in Stirling in the Adelaide Hills which is celebrating 30 years this year. Isn't it great?

And it is a reminder of how important books are to your family.
Make sure you read to your children and grandchildren.

2012 is Australia's National Year of Reading And we are getting closer to National Reading Hour on August 25!

The book being read around Australia on that day is Alison Lester's ARE WE THERE YET?

It tells the story of her family's journey around Australia in a camper van. This great adventure captures the essence of the country – the cities and the countryside; the European settlements and the special places of the First Australian.

NYOR 2012 Australia

Australian libraries and library associations are behind a campaign to turn 2012 into the National Year of Reading, NYOR,  linking together all the great things that are already happening around books, reading and literacy, and giving them an extra boost, with fun programs and activities taking place across the country.

Upcoming events listed on the website Love2Read include World Book Day on 3 March, and World Read Aloud Day on 9 March.

And here at MYSTERIES in PARADISE we'll be doing our little bit throughout the year, because we all agree that reading is so important.
One of the websites associated with NYOR opens with some sobering thoughts:

Nearly half the population struggles without the literacy skills to meet the most basic demands of everyday life and work. There are 46% of Australians who can't read newspapers; follow a recipe; make sense of timetables, or understand the instructions on a medicine bottle.

The Patron of NYOR is William McInnes, writer, actor, narrator, popular speaker at various writers' weeks. We look forward to seeing him at various events.
He doesn't write crime fiction but I really enjoyed his account of growing up in rural Australia, which seemed to have so much in common with my own experience. My review: A MAN'S GOT TO HAVE A HOBBY