Former Geelong mayor calls for library action, meeting between GRLC, City Hall on Thursday

Geelong councillors have been issued a please explain from the community as a Barwon Heads boy makes passionate plea.

Geelong West mum Kristen with kids Hailey, 9, and Parker, 3, at the Geelong West library rally in May.

• Back flip on initial library proposal
• City strong-arming library manager, former boss says

Geelong councillors are due to meet face to face with residents after a community group issued a “please explain” about proposed cuts to library hours that have sparked outrage.

Former Geelong mayor Keith Fagg has also added his voice to community opposition to the proposed changes.

Mr Fagg said City Hall had misread public sentiment on libraries, which were a “core business” for the council.

He called on the city to ensure library funding was at a level that prevented services being slashed.

Save Geelong West Library campaigner Angela Carr said the Geelong West meeting on Saturday would be an opportunity for councillors to “redeem themselves”.

“The intention of the meeting is for the community to ask them questions that we weren’t allowed to ask at the most recent council meeting,” she said.

She said four councillors had confirmed they would attend.

Ms Carr said the community wanted to know why councillor Melissa Cadwell’s call for the city to put an extra $762,000 into the Geelong Regional Library Corporation (GRLC) wasn’t discussed at the May council meeting.

Because of a claimed funding shortfall, GRLC has proposed to close most City of Greater Geelong libraries on Saturday afternoons and Sundays, slash Geelong Heritage Centre services and warned some GRLC staff vacancies may not be filled. The changes would be applied from July 1.

CoGG mayor Trent Sullivan said the city would meet the GRLC on Thursday “in hope of reaching a more satisfactory outcome for the community”.

Trent Sullivan. Picture: Mark Wilson

Keith Fagg.

Mr Fagg, mayor for 10 months until August 2013, said libraries with accessible opening hours were “really important for the long-term future of Geelong”.

“If short-term financial issues is a reason we risk losing them, then that would be a crying shame for the future of our community,” Mr Fagg said.

“The new library (in Drysdale) has been planned for years … (it) should have been embedded in the long-term budget planning for the city for some time.

“(Libraries) should be reliably funded … because they are pretty much core business to councils.

“This issue needs the council and the corporation to work together on a long-term plan, not be subject to these knee-jerk funding crises.”

Mr Sullivan said the council understood the importance of libraries.

“Given our costs are rising at more than double the rate cap, we had to find savings across all of our operations in this budget, and still managed to find an extra $240,000 for libraries. The current financial year budget (2022-23) included an extra $561,000 from the previous year (2021-22), which was to support extended library operating hours.

“This amount has been carried forward as part of the proposed funding for 2023-24.

“In the current economic climate, where we are facing cost pressure, we’re asking our service providers to look for ways to run as efficiently as possible, just as we are.

“We reiterate that we do not want to see any libraries closed, or services reduced.”

“We certainly believe the level of funding being offered is enough to run all libraries in our region without the level of service impacts the GRLC is currently proposing.

“The City will be meeting with the GRLC again on Thursday to continue this discussion in the hope of reaching a more satisfactory outcome for the community.”

The GRLC has claimed the cost to operate the region’s libraries will increase by $762,000 in 2023-24 but has not met multiple requests to itemise the total.

The GRLC said the Boronggook Drysdale Library would need staff to work more hours in 2023-24 if this year’s opening hours were continued.

After a multimillion-dollar redevelopment, the library is five times bigger and is open an extra 8½ hours a week.

The council draft budget has closed for public submissions, with a hearing due to be held for submissions on June 7.

The GRLC draft budget is open for public comment on its website until June 9.

Boys plea for library future

A Barwon Heads boy is pleading with the City of Greater Geelong to fund the region’s libraries so opening hours at sites aren’t reduced.

Toby Rhook, 10, has written to councillors in a heartfelt plea for change.

“I am writing to you for a second time,” his letter reads.

“I think that you should be funding all libraries … because people go to the library to borrow books to read and use the wi-fi if they don’t have wi-fi or a computer at home.

Barwon Heads primary school student Toby Rhook, 10, wrote a letter to save the Barwon Heads Library. Picture: Brad Fleet

“Also, old people go to the library to borrow books on the weekend.

“Libraries are a good source of books because you don’t have to buy them.

“I borrow and read lots of books each week.

“I love Barwon Heads Community Library because it has so many great books and Penny is so helpful, generous and kind.

“Please keep our libraries open.”

The region’s library manager has asked the council for an extra $762,000 in 2023-24 to run the city’s libraries.

But the council has baulked at providing the extra funding, arguing the manager of the Geelong Regional Library Corporation (GRLC) can find savings within its operation.

Geelong council will increase its cash contribution for libraries
by $244,000 in 2023-24
to $12.24m.

Because of the shortfall, the GRLC has proposed to shut Geelong libraries earlier on weekends.

Originally published as Former Geelong mayor calls for library action, meeting between GRLC, City Hall on Thursday