Total Fire Ban - Knox & Ranges Outreach Update

Important Notices for Today - Tuesday March 11th:

The Ranges Outreach will not be going to Warburton due to Total Fire Ban.

The Knox Outreach will not be going to The Basin due to Total Fire Ban.

If you have any queries, don't hesitate to contact us here on Facebook or via phone on 1300 737 277.

Starred this Month - Highlights for February 2014

There is always something going on at Eastern Regional, and this month there were several stand-out events.

Stephen Wilson Cooking Demonstrations
This month we saw cooking demonstrations by popular local chef, Stephen Wilson, who delighted his audience with Sweet Treats for Valentine's Day. Of special note, Stephen has announced an upcoming cookbook featuring recipes he has demonstrated within the library. Way to go, Stephen! It is still a work in progress, but we here at ERL are excited to see the finished publication. Additionally, Stephen has also started his very own Facebook Page called Chilled Out Cooking - so all you Stephen Wilson fans out there can continue to stay up to date with tips, tricks, recipes and more cooking demonstrations at the library.


 Big Welcome to Rusty Arnold
We had a new member of staff join ERL. Meet Rusty Arnold, the new storytime bear at Ferntree Gully. Rusty was very kindly donated by a generous library member who thought Rusty would be favourite amongst the kids. He stands at almost 2 metres when fully upright, and around 1 1/2 metres when sitting down. As for weight, well, he is rather shy about that (aren't we all!) but there have been reports of mysterious disappearances of the tea bickies over night... that naughty bear. So far, Rusty has proved extremely popular with the young crowd at Ferntree Gully, and he is pictured here with Children's Librarian, Sue.

New Mobile Timetables
Eastern Regional Libraries has updated their mobile library service timetables for the Knox Outreach and Yarra Ranges Outreach vehicles.

There have been some significant changes to some of the stops and times for both Knox and Yarra Ranges. The new timetable are available and ready to download.

Knox Outreach Timetable 2014

Yarra Ranges Outreach Timetable 2014

Australia's Favourite Library
 Last year, the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) went in search of Australia's Favourite Librarian, in which 4 of our ERL comrades were nominated. This year, ALIA is looking to spread the love even further by finding Australia's Favourite Library.

We are pleased to announce that all of our branches as well as both of our mobile services have been nominated!! A big thank you to everyone for showing their support by nominating us, it is greatly appreciated.

Voting for Australia's Favourite Library opens on 14 March to the 22 April 2014 - we will provide links when the voting has opened. We look forward to being in the running and having you cast your vote!

Cheers,
The Virtual Team

New Ranges Outreach Timetable - Now Available

A friendly face! Grant from the
Ranges Outreach

Heads up - a new Yarra Ranges Outreach Timetable has been published and will commence on "Week 2" on Monday 3 March, 2014.

The Ranges Outreach Timetable 2014


There have been some significant changes to the timetable. A few of the hours for various stops have changed. Also some of the stops have changed or switched weeks.

 Do make sure to check out the new timetable and tell your friends!

** Please Note: No service is provided on Public Holidays. On days of Total Fire Ban and Extreme Weather Conditions, please check www.erl.vic.gov.au, our Facebook Page or Twitter to confirm service availability.

Want to stay informed of changes? Join our mailing list to stay up to date.

Join our mailing list.

If you have any queries about the Ranges Mobile and the new schedule, don't hesitate to contact us on 1300 737 277 or our Facebook Page.

Thanks, The Virtual Team

Its the Onions that get you - Ranges Outreach Sausage Sizzle

What a lovely day - the hotplate was sizzling with sausages and the smell of BBQ onions wafted across the caravan park... Dee-lish, who could resist?

Eastern Regional libraries were out and about with the Ranges Outreach Vehicle on Tuesday January 27 with a free sausage sizzle at the Britannia Ridge Caravan Park and Doon Reserve Caravan Park to celebrate these new outreach destination points.

Some of our new members at Britannia Caravan Park.

Residents and travellers at the caravan parks were treated to both a hearty barbie lunch as well as new library memberships and access to all the goodies available on the Ranges Outreach vehicle.

Jess from Eastern Regional reported on the success of the venture. "It was a fantastic afternoon - everyone who came for the sausage sizzle joined up and just about everyone borrowed something. Was awesome to see so many people enjoying what the library had to offer."

Residents went home with DVDs, childrens books, best seller fiction - and they even ordered a range of materials to be sent up on the Ranges Outreach van on the next visit.

"I couldn't believe the stuff they had, bloody marvellous. And a sausage lunch," commented Brian. "I'm looking forward to seeing the little van come up again - they're going to bring me up some Grisham's I haven't read. Top stuff, great service."

To see where we truck about - check out our Ranges Outreach Timetable and Knox Outreach Timetable.

See our Facebook Page for more photos from the Outreach Vehicles Album.

You never know what we're up to out there!

The Virtual Team

Today: Ranges Outreach Vehicle Off the Road Due to Total Fire Ban

Hello all,

Due to Total Fire Ban Restrictions, the Yarra Ranges Outreach vehicle will be off the roads today.

Sorry for any inconvenience - stay safe out there!

The Virtual Team

Catching up with Caravan Parks - New Outreach Vehicles Timetables

Eastern Regional Libraries has expanded their Outreach Vehicle Service to include caravan parks, more retirement homes, public housing developments, industrial areas and train stations.

The Knox Flexi Vehicle will now be including Wantirna Caravan Park and Bayswater Railway Station.

Meanwhile, the Yarra Ranges Flexi Vehicle has added Brittania Ridge, Doon Reserve and Pinehill Caravan Parks to their schedules.

The new timetables have been in effect for approxinmately six weeks now - so how has it all been going?


Greg, our Manager of the Mobile Community Services, reports that this new mobile service has so far been well received, with lots of new memberships being signed up at each stop. Positive feedback has also included "What a great idea being more accessible to community housing" and "Love the new truck" and our personal favourite - that the truck itself was rather "cute".


Commuters, in particular, have also found the service at Bayswater Railway Station to be extremely useful.

"I was so surprised to see the library truck at seven in the morning," wrote Elise (28, sales assistant), from Boronia. "Being able to grab something for the train ride to work is so handy."



The new timetable for the Outreach Vehicles are now available.
Knox Outreach Vehicle Timetable
Yarra Ranges Flexi Vehicle Timetable

Yarra Ranges Outreach is off the road Tuesday & Wednesday - apologies

The Yarra Ranges outreach vehicle will be off the road Tuesday 29th May and Wednesday 30th May to have the trailer brakes replaced. We apologise for any inconvenience.

Items may be returned to any branch or renewed online via the library website.

Cheers, Maryanne

Yarra Ranges Outreach will not be at Yarra Glen today

Apologies for the late notice but the Yarra Ranges Outreach will not be at Yarra Glen today. Items may be renewed online via the web catalogue or returned to another library. If you have any difficulties please contact us via the website

Cheers, Maryanne

Farewell Ranges Mobile, Hello Yarra Ranges Outreach

Friday staff took the books off the Ranges Mobile library in readiness for the new service - Yarra Ranges Outreach. The Yarra Ranges Outreach will operate using the Valley Mobile's trailer and will visit a combination of popular sites on the previous timetable.

I managed to snap a few photos.


Grant will be driving the Yarra Ranges Outreach Vehicle


Empty shelves


Grant's gloves & witches hats


Old Ranges Mobile

The new timetable will operate from Monday 27th February and Grant will be driving this vehicle.

Yarra Ranges Outreach Timetable

Powelltown
The Yarra Ranges Outreach Vehicle will continue to visit Powelltown every second Tuesday as timetabled until a computer service is available at the Powelltown Hotel. Powelltown schedule
 
Yarra Glen
The Yarra Ranges Outreach Vehicle will continue to visit Yarra Glen on a Friday until the opening of the Yarra Glen Community Reading Room. Yarra Glen schedule


Cheers, Maryanne

Updated Yarra Ranges Outreach timetable available now

I've just uploaded a new timetable for the Yarra Ranges Outreach vehicle. The new timetable will operate from the 27th February until mid September 2012. I've also added timetables for Yarra Glen and Powelltown.

From 27th February 2012

Yarra Range Outreach timetable
Yarra Glen timetable
Powelltown timetable

Cheers, Maryanne

From 27th Feb there's a new combined schedule for the Ranges & Valley Mobile

From Monday 27th February we will be introducing the Yarra Ranges Outreach vehicle which will combine the Ranges and Valley Mobile service and have a new schedule.

View the Yarra Ranges Outreach schedule.

Please note: No Service provided on listed public holidays and days of Total Fire Bans. 

As a result of the changes we have temporarily taken the Ranges and Valley Mobiles off the Hold Pickup List until we start the new service. It also means that members will not be able to place holds on items that belong to those mobiles.

We have also arranged for extended due dates for members borrowing on these mobiles until the 29th March 2012 for the rest of February.

Cheers, Maryanne