4 May 1997

NT libraries serve diverse people in remote locations

The Northern Territory had some of the most interesting libraries in the world, located in the most picturesque and unusual locations, Gibby Maynard of the Northern Territory Library said today.

Ms Maynard, the Community Libraries Liaison Officer, said the Yulara Community Library was a case in point.

'It sits under the shadow of Uluru, which was formerly known as Ayers Rock, in the Red Centre of the dry continent.

'For Aboriginal people, Uluru itself is a 'library' of stories, a sacred site.

'The township around the great mountain of ancient rock is growing rapidly and is a destination for tourists from throughout the world.

"For all Australians and for the tourists, the Yulara Community Library has an impressive array of resources and provides services that include Internet access and storytelling."

Her comments came during Australian Library Week (ALW), which runs from Sunday 4 May to Saturday 10 May, and has a theme of Libraries: a Web of Information.

'We have other very interesting libraries in the Northern Territory,' Ms Maynard said.

'For example, the Alexandria Community Library, east of Tennant Creek near the Queensland border, is in the midst of cattle stations.

'The library provides a service to the station folk and the occasional tourist.

'The 'wet season' brings in all the jackaroos and jillaroos as the countryside changes from sunburnt plains to rolling rivers.

'The library itself has a rise and fall effect, due to the seasonal influx of station workers and the clients of school age who live on the surrounding stations.'

Ms Maynard said the four-wheel-drive country of Arnhem Land had a community library at Ramininging, east of Darwin, which was surrounded by wetlands with crocodiles, fish and wide range of birdlife.

'The Ramininging Library is a vibrant place, with a wide range of books catering for the community's needs.

'For example, they organised a fun week for the children of the area to celebrate Children's Book Week.'

The Milikapiti and Ngukurr areas were in the process of establishing a new model for community libraries, she said.

'The new community libraries will share facilities with Batchelor College, which means local people will have access to resources for adult education.'