This special week provides the Australian community with a chance to find out about the wide range of services which local public libraries offer: provides an opportunity to recognise the vital role which libraries play for research and education; about emphasising the significance of libraries in the maintenance of our history and culture at community and national levels; recognises the importance of library and information services as providers of services for people who due to personal disadvantages have no other alternatives for accessing and using information and an opportunity to think about the role which libraries play in our local community work and personal life.

Did you know that in Australian public libraries there are about 12 million registered users of public libraries; there are 1700 public libraries; and that each year public libraries lend over 174 million items; there are nearly 5000 internet computers and over 77,000 people use the internet in public libraries every week and there are 25,000 people working in libraries and information services.

During Library and Information Week the library is hosting and participating in the National Simultaneous Story Time which will be held on Wednesday May 21 commencing at 10.45am. This year’s book is called “Arthur” by Amanda Graham.

An invitation is extended to preschoolers and their mums/carers to come along and join in with Kinder classes from St Joseph’s and Nyngan Public School for the reading of “Arthur”.

The library will also be hosting a “Biggest Morning Tea” on Thursday May 22 commencing at 10.30am.

I extend a warm invitation to the community to come along and enjoy a cuppa for the Cancer Council and take this opportunity to have a look around the library to see the many and varied resources and services that our library provides during Library and Information Week.

The next Story Time will be held on May 27 commencing at 10.30am.

New fiction this week are: Rebecca Johns - Icebergs; Carolyn Hart - Dead days of summer; Nicola Griffith - Always; Ted Dekker - Don’t trust your eyes; James Twining - The black Sun; Robin Jones Gunn - Gardenias for breakfast; Amanda Hampson - Two for the road; Jill Mansell - An offer you can’t refuse; TJ Macgregor; Jay Brandon - Running with the dead; Johanna Lindsey - A man to call my own; Illona Haus - Blue mercy; Merline Lovelace - Eye of the beholder.