Community

Celebrating Library Week 2022 with a visit to the Men's Shed in Ashmont

Published: 29 Jul 2022 2:24pm

Wagga Wagga City Library Program Officers visited the Wagga Wagga Men’s Shed in Ashmont to run a workshop for members as part of the new Agile Library Service.

The workshop involved assisting members to get their new Wagga Wagga City Library membership cards and introducing workshop participants to the e-Library and databases on offer.

Wagga Wagga City Library is now operating as a standalone service for residents of the Wagga Wagga Local Government Area, enabling the library to offer a broader and more accessible range of programs and resources to the entire community.

Library Programs Officer Wendy Harper said the Men’s Shed members were particularly interested in Haynes All Access, one of the new database services the library purchased after receiving requests from the community seeking more information about car manuals.

“Haynes offers unlimited access to the world’s best car and motorcycle repair manuals and covers a vast range of car and motorcycle makes and models,” Ms Harper said.

**THE WORKSHOP** Library Program Officer Beth Harrison introducing Wagga Wagga Men’s Shed Member Philip Arentz to Access Australia during an Agile Library workshop.

“During a recent Agile Library visit to Tolland Community Centre, we had a conversation with a member of the Wagga Men’s Shed and confirmed that the library could present a workshop on the Haynes database.

“We were thrilled to attend the Men’s Shed this week and connect with residents who otherwise might not have known how to access our eLibrary services such as eBooks and eAudio books.”

Wagga Wagga Men’s Shed Secretary David Croft said when he asked members during a meeting if anyone would be interested in the library’s offer to run a workshop, “everyone’s hand went up”.

Wagga Wagga Men’s Shed Member Philip Arentz is a current member of the library who was introduced to Access Australia during this week’s workshop.

“Access Australia features local and national news, including The Daily Advertiser. My wife is very keen on it, so I’ll have to mention it to her,” Mr Arentz said.

**PARTNERSHIP** Wagga Wagga Men’s Shed Member Geoffrey Marks and Library Programs Officer Wendy Harper during a recent Agile Library visit to the Wagga Wagga Men’s Shed in Ashmont.

“Older fellas like routine and their day-to-day activities don’t vary too much, so workshops like this give a gradual introduction to technology like eLibrary services, which can be pretty daunting.”

Haynes and Access Australia databases can be accessed on the Wagga Wagga City Library’s Databases & Online Resources page for free with a Wagga Wagga City Library Card.

Programs, information sessions and the Agile Library service are part of Wagga Wagga City Library’s new weekly service.

If you are a community group, school or childcare service located in the Wagga Wagga Local Government Area, and would like to discuss a partnership opportunity with the Agile Library Service, please contact the library on 6926 9700.