Public Libraries Victoria Network is a collaborative and advocacy organisation comprised of Victorian Local Government Public Library Services.    Activities range from information sharing and training to setting up of consortia to conduct projects and purchase materials in a collaborative manner. 

Victoria has 45 public library services.  There are 30 services operated by individual councils, 14 regional library corporations which provice services for a number of councils and the Vision Australia Information and Library service which provides services to the print-impaired.

Throughout Victoria there are 209 branch libraries, 27 mobile libraries and 41 other service points.  Altogether these are open 11,167 hours per week and receive more than 27 million visits each year.  2.5 million people or 47% of the Victorian population belong to a public library.

PLVN has as its vision : Victoria has the best public library services

and its mission :

  • To develop strategies and facilitate initiatives to enable Victorian Public Libraries to deliver the best possible services to the community and
  • To be a critical factor in the development of social capital in Victoria

Office Bearers for 2009-10 are as follows:

President : John Murrell

Vice President: Karen Ward Smith

Secretary: Anne Holmes

Treasurer/Public Officer: Joseph Cullen

Executive Committee Members : Katrina Knox,  Carolyn Macvean, Christine Payne, Michael Scholtes, Karyn Siegmann

PLVN has a moderated mailing list which is open to everyone working in Victorian public libraries.  This is used to disseminate information and act as a forum on issues. To apply to join go to http://lists.vicnet.net.au/mailman/listinfo/plvn

Trove - a new Australian Search Engine

Wed, 10/02/2010 - 11:36 — CEO


Trove is a new free search engine developed by the National Library.  It brings together multiple Australian collections including books, journal and newspaper articles, pictures, music, sound, video, maps, websites, diaries, letters, archives, people and organisations.  It includes Australian newspapers 1803-1954 - an invaluable historical resource.
It is useful for tracing your family tree, researching a topic, reading for pleasure, teaching or studying.  Unlike many online databases it has  specific Australian content.

Barrett Reid Scholarship Winner

Tue, 01/12/2009 - 08:59 — CEO

Congatulations to Jennie Bolitho from Bayside who has been awarded  the Barrett Reid Scholarship.  Jennie will be studying Bibliotherapy.   As Jennie did not require the full amount of the Scholarship,  the Library Board also agreed to grant the residual amount to Sally Jones from Moonee Valley Library Serivce to support her visit to New York to look at how to make libraries more appealing to teenagers.   For full details see the Awards section of this website. 

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