From fitness to finance sessions, local libraries evolving as patrons soar

Amidst a growing cost of living crisis, public libraries are modernizing and expanding their services, offering everything from fitness classes to financial information sessions, resulting in a surge in user numbers. These changes reflect the increasingly important role libraries play in the community.

Allison Hockey and her husband Kelvin run free fitness classes at a library in the Rockhampton region. For some participants, it's almost their only regular social activity. "It brings the older community together," Mr. Hockey said. "A lot of people don't see anyone else." Frank and Margie Brewitt were recommended to the class by their doctor, and it has now become something they look forward to each week. "We tried it out and we've been coming almost every Monday since," Mrs. Brewitt said. "It's good company, it's friendship, it's burning some energy... everyone's very friendly and easy to get along with."

The latest annual report from the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) and the National and State Libraries of Australia shows that participation in library programs nationwide has almost doubled in recent years, from 3.5 million in 2020-21 to more than 6.1 million in 2022-23. In the Rockhampton region, nearly 60,000 people participated in library programs in the last financial year, a 37% increase from 2022-23 and a record high. In comparison, statewide participation in library programs for the year was 1,424,865.

ALIA CEO Cathie Warburton said that the way the public uses libraries has shifted following COVID-19 lockdowns. "Because you can walk into a library without being a member," she said, "you can book a meeting room, you can go there to read books or magazines, you can go to a class or program, whether it's learning English or learning origami, and so on... all without being a member." People can also borrow ebooks for free from the comfort of their homes, and stream movies, TV shows, and documentaries. "It really does save money," she said. "Using the library and all the services that it offers can save you a lot of money."

It has been more than 170 years since the first public library in Australia, the State Library of Victoria, opened in 1854. Today, there are 1,412 branches, 76 mobile libraries, and 226 other service points, including self-service kiosks, library depots, and book vending machines, across the country. "Libraries are always changing to reflect their community and its needs," Ms. Warburton said. "For example, a library in Rockhampton might be very different to a library on the Gold Coast because those communities are different and their needs are different."