Carley Heath, a new face of the Alexandra Library Services

The Rotary Club of Alexandra had the privilege to meet Alexandra librarian Carley Heath when she was guest speaker.

Carley has been with the Alexandra Library for a few months and although she is not new, how she came to be our librarian is a little different than what was expected.

Carley is new to Alexandra Library because she had worked at the Yea Library before moving to Alex.

Her background was in disability services. An avid reader as a child, Carley did not visit libraries for years after losing a book. Such a simple thing yet it kept her love of reading away from the services available through our library services.

She decided to pursue her love of books by retraining and helping to change the emphasis of libraries from fines and quietness, to accessibility and patronage.

Fines are no longer issued at the local library and there are automatic renewals online.

New authors are presented and speakers booked well ahead of time.

Children are encouraged through Junior Friends of the Library and events are publicised.

Borrowbox is another initiative and digital books are incredibly popular.
Carley answered questions on eBooks and the Borrowbox app, and the Friends of the Library secondhand bookshop.

Her fellow librarians assist in the selection of books to be read on ELF Day where there is a morning spent in Grant St, Alexandra with community members reading stories to the students dressed up as story book characters and having fun.

Rotarians are among the volunteers who assist with story time in the library and the consensus from the Rotarians and their guest is that the library is the place to be for a range of services for both young and old.

• Robert Chaffe