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Cobar library rates 5th among 90 NSW public libraries Of the 90 public libraries in NSW, Cobar biographies, 31 non-fiction books, 17 young new children’s books. sits 5th on the list for expenditure per resi- adult fiction books, 19 comic books and 35 The library is now also stocking emagazines. dent for library services. According to the State Library of NSW’s statistics from 2021-2022, for Cobar’s estimated population of 4,365 residents, the total expenditure at the Cobar Shire Library $483,578 which equates to a spend of $110.79 per person. That’s well above the average spend by most NSW libraries of $63.23 per person per annum. Cobar’s library is also well used with the average number of loans made by each Cobar resident estimated to be 3.45 per capita which is just below the NSW average circulation of 3.69 per capita. (Per capita is the financial year’s worth of circulation divided by the particular library service area’s population.) Cobar Shire Library Manager Jane Siermans said compared to other libraries across NSW, Cobar’s is well stocked and also well used. “We are quite small with a modest budget, but I think we perform really well for where we are and what we are,” Jane told The Cobar Weekly. “I try to balance the budget across all areas. “I see where there are gaps in a series that need filling and make sure I fill those gaps but I try and spend all across the collection which means everybody gets a little bit of what they want. “I can’t always give them everything they want because the money has to cover every- Cobar Shire Library Manager Jane Siermans said compared to other libraries across NSW, Cobar’s library is well stocked and also well used. where,” Jane said. “It also helps that I have a very supportive community who donate a lot of really new titles in very good condition. “A lot of those new ones that are going in, Round 1 of the Australian Government’s He said if this requirement is restrictive, it is someone has bought and read them once and new Growing Regions Program is now open important that the Government is made aware then brought it here, so that helps with the for applications. of whether their programs are accessible and budget.” Federal Member for Parkes Mark Coulton practical for our communities. Jane said the Cobar Library has a lot of pas- said the program will provide grants of be- More information is available at: sionate users ranging across all age groups. tween $500,000 and $15 million to support www.infrastructure.gov.au “There’s still hardcore people who love li- capital works projects for community and ecobraries and love reading and when they move nomic infrastructure across regional and rural to town, this is where they come. areas. “I know eBooks are rising, but there’s still “While I encourage eligible not-for-profit plenty of interest with people wanting the hard organisations and local governments to considcopy.” er applying, please note that most applicants On the recent new items list at the library are will be required to make a significant co49 new DVDs, 84 adult fiction books, two new funding contribution towards projects,” Mr Large Print books, a Talking Book, five new Coulton said.
Growing Regions Program now open
Wednesday July 19, 2023 The Cobar Weekly Page 11
