Wonderful piece on libraries in remote rural areas of Australia, stemming from research at Charles Sturt University, supported by ALIA.
From tiny sheds in outback towns to state-of-the-art facilities on the urban fringe, libraries are evolving to become the ultimate third space, offering a “community living room” to people who need it most.
Across the country, there are more than 1,400 public library branches, on top of those run by schools, universities, and private community groups, mobile book vans and a burgeoning network of street libraries.
Offering up all manner of literature, internet access and everything from craft clubs and citizen science corners to “seed libraries” and storytelling dogs — for free — they’re an essential public space, perhaps especially in regional and remote Australia.
Image: example of a small rural library in Murrayville, Victoria.