When the first convict ships were dispatched from the United Kingdom, reference books were given priority over sheep. The rationale was that a store of knowledge was critical to establishing and sustaining a new society, whereas a sheep could feed and clothe only a limited amount of individuals.
Today there are over 1500 libraries across Australia, more outlets than McDonalds and last year these libraries aggregated more than 90 million visitations, equating to five visits per Australian, at a cost per citizen of 6c per day.
The UNESCO manifesto (1994) describes public libraries as the ‘living force of education, culture and information’. They are a part of everyday life in Australia and are widely regarded as agents for positive change in communities promoting community literacy, social networks and resources for leisure and entertainment from cradle to grave and without social, financial or educational barriers.
The Hornery Institute is passionate about libraries and has been involved in exploring their on-going relevance to communities across Australia. We are pleased to share some of this research with you.
