April 2024

PLS eNews

Welcome to the monthly newsletter from the Public Library Services team at the State Library of NSW — bringing you the latest news about upcoming events, promotions and professional development opportunities.

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Public Library Services website

We are excited to announce that Public Library Services has a new website.

We’ve been working hard to redevelop the Public Library Services (PLS) website as part of the State Library’s project to upgrade the web content management system.

New sections include Managing my library, Grants and funding, Standards and guidelines, Connect with the network, Statewide services and Professional development. These improvements will assist in finding the tools, resources, and information you need to deliver your library services.

We think you will find the new site a lot easier to use but please contact us if you cannot find specific content or one of your favourite pages.

State Library website
The State Library website has been updated to improve security of the site. The site has a refreshed look with new layouts. You may see some changes over the coming weeks, but we hope most of the work we’re doing will go unnoticed.

New website for Drug Info ...

The new-look Drug Info website continues to provide up-to-date information about alcohol and other drugs, sources of help and support, and information for different groups of people including young people, families and students.

Redirects are in place but please update your links.

Words 'Find Legal Answers' in black bubble

... and Find Legal Answers

There’s also a new Find Legal Answers website. Check out our new Legal information pages which provide links to our online books, legal organisations, and legislation, as well as information in community languages, and for specific groups in the community including older people, young people and Aboriginal people.

Redirects are in place but please update your links.

New social media campaign for the bulk loans service

Posting on your social media channels is a great way to let your community know that they can borrow books in their language from their local public library.

Use the images and text in the new social media kit to promote the bulk loans service available at your library.

And don’t forget that this year we’re celebrating 50 years of the Multicultural Bulk Loan Service — check out ideas for activities, promotional resources and a social media kit you can use throughout the year.

CHOICE now available on Gale

CHOICE magazine is now available on Gale OneFile: Australia and New Zealand. CHOICE is well known as a great source of information, reviews, best buys, green buys, health tips and product reviews.

Find out more in the latest Gale webinar on 30 April which explores content from CHOICE and the ABC on Gale OneFile: Australia and New Zealand.

Register here.

Words 'don't just google it' next to a group of people in a meeting

Gale database survey

The statewide licensed suite of eresources for 2023–24 consists of 15 databases from the vendor Gale.

NSW.net is seeking your feedback about the Gale databases to determine their continued relevance to the NSW public library network. Please complete this survey by Friday 19  April.

The results of the survey — along with detailed usage statistics — will help inform the 2024–25 statewide suite of databases.

Public Library statistics

The 2022–23 public library statistics are now available.

The numbers show an appreciable bounce-back in library usage following the years affected by COVID-19 restrictions.

The key indicators of public library use show that they are highly valued by their communities.

In 2022–23 there were:

22.8 million physical visits to NSW public libraries
35.9 million loans of collection items
13.1 million virtual visits to public library websites
9.4 million internet bookings (including wi-fi)
2.5 million ebook loans.

Three square panels of cartoon young people

Youth Week 2024

Youth Week is being held from 11 to 21 April 2024. The theme for this year is Express. Empower. Get loud!

There are always lots of activities and events for children and young people between 12 and 24 years of age. Check the Youth Week events page to see what other libraries are doing and don’t forget to register your library’s events.

Youth Week is a great time to remind the young people in your community about the information and sources of help available to them. The updated Find Legal Answers and Drug Info websites both have pages for young people — check out the updated Legal information for young people and Drug and alcohol information for young people pages.

The PLS website includes resources to help promote Drug Info and Find Legal Answers during Youth Week. Go to our social media kit for images and suggested text to use in social media posts, or download the Drug Info or Find Legal Answers youth quiz.