Library’s final chapter

By Shaun Inguanzo
GREATER Dandenong’s mobile library service will end next month after a council report showed that only 50 people out of the 2000 registered are using the service each year.
An outreach and home-delivery service will be developed in its place after a majority of councillors supported an officer’s recommendation to discontinue the service on 20 December this year.
The report shows that the mobile library service costs $165,000 per year to operate and that the truck and van are both due for an upgrade next year at an estimated cost of about $600,000.
Councillors in favour of the closure, including Cleeland Ward’s Paul Donovan, argued that the council would save ratepayer dollars by scrapping the mobile library and introducing outreach and home delivery of library books to isolated and immobile residents unable to access libraries in Springvale and Dandenong.
Cr Donovan said the current mobile library did not have Internet access, had a poor and outdated collection of books, and even poorer patronage.
He said some people would understandably be upset at the service ending but the decision was in the “best interest” of all ratepayers.
Keysborough South Ward councillor Peter Brown led a charge to retain the service for another 18 months, thereby giving mobile library users a period of transition to understand why the service must close.
Cr Brown said only a “scrooge” would close a service to Greater Dandenong residents for Christmas.
Keysborough Ward councillor Roz Blades supported Cr Brown and also argued that the lack of patronage could be because the council changed routes and not advertising the service enough.
But their efforts to extend the service were defeated by three votes to six and the council resolved to scrap the mobile library on 20 December.