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- Apology to First Peoples by the Victorian GovernmentOn Tuesday 9 December, the Victorian Government will deliver an Apology to First Peoples. The Apology is for the profound harms inflicted on First Peoples by the State and colony – both historic and ongoing. This is a key recommendation of the Yoorrook Justice Commission and was agreed to in the first Statewide Treaty, recently signed into law. This moment is important. It is because of the collective…
- Library Workplace Safety Survey InvitationYou are invited to complete an anonymous online survey exploring workplace violence and aggression in public and academic libraries. This survey is part of a project conducted by Associate Professor Jane Garner on behalf of the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA), the Australian Public Library Alliance (APLA) and the Council of Australasian University Librarians (CAUL). You will find two links below each leading to…
- Safe and Welcoming Community Spaces
Neighbourhood Houses Victoria has released an insightful report, Safe and Welcoming Community Spaces, based on research support by the Victorian government’s Department of Health. The aim was to identify and understand the elements that make community spaces safe and welcoming, including for individuals with experience of social isolation and/or loneliness. The research focused on the built environment, staff behaviours, inclusivity practices, and barriers to access…. - Big Summer Read launchedPublic Libraries Victoria was delighted to launch Big Summer Read yesterday at narrm ngarrgu library with the help of Minister for Local Government Nick Staikos, City of Melbourne Councillor Gladys Liu, Public Libraries/Big Summer Read Ambassador Andrea Rowe and Big Summer Read ambassador Andy Griffiths. “The Big Summer Read helps to get kids across the state into libraries over the summer holidays by making summer…
- PLV Conference 2026: Call for abstracts
Public Libraries Victoria (PLV) is delighted to announce that the call for abstracts for our 2026 Conference, Libraries Loud and Proud, is now open. The conference will take place on Mon 7 and Tues 8 September 2026 at Rydges Hotel, Melbourne. The overarching theme, Libraries Loud and Proud, has six streams. Abstracts will be assessed against these themes, plus a ‘wild card’ entry (great ideas): Outreach:… - Dr Sian Prior: Signed, Sealed, Delivered: the art of letter writing – workshop 2026
Is there a letter you’ve always wanted to write but didn’t dare? What would you say in a letter to your younger self? Is there someone missing from your life who you wish you could correspond with? Letters can communicate emotions, explain actions, reveal secrets, and help to heal wounds. In this two hour workshop, we will explore the therapeutic pleasures of ‘epistolary’ (letter) writing…. - Dr Sian Prior: Writing For Well-Being workshop 2026Psychological research has shown that expressive writing – in particular writing about yourself – can enhance your mood, improve your physical health, and even boost your memory. Writing helps us focus and organize our thoughts around emotional upheavals and health setbacks. For her Doctorate in Creative Writing, author and former ABC presenter Sian Prior wrote a book called Shy: A Memoir (Text Publishing, 2014) in which she explored the distress…
- Building Bibliotherapy Skills Course at Warrnambool LibraryWhat is Bibliotherapy? Bibliotherapy is a practice that uses books to support wellbeing. The books chosen vary with the type of bibliotherapy and whether the practice is clinical or community based. The experience Imagine a warm environment where open-hearted individuals gather to let stories come to life. This course is as much about your own growth and wellbeing as it is about learning how to guide…