More than books… community connections every day…
Each day our librarians look forward to greeting and assisting members of our community. How lovely it is to interact with diverse people from various backgrounds. Especially, how exciting it is to witness the positive impact joining the library has for members.
Our librarians always love signing up new members! We love getting to boast about the amazing resources (physical and online) members can access (for free!).
Sometimes, a particular moment in time makes us take note to reflect on how important libraries are when it comes to engaging with the community. We’re reminded that providing access to resources is only part of the picture of the role our libraries play in our communities.
A story from one of our branches…
Recently, one of our smaller branches shares a story about a new member joining following their move to the Western Downs region. Upon joining, the member was informed of the monthly bookclub and provided a copy of the book. The member attended their first meeting and it was wonderful to see them so warmly welcomed. They have since attended every meeting. After the meeting, the group has now a coffee catch up in town (supporting local business is always fantastic!). Through attending bookclub, the member has made connections to other members and community groups that meet regularly and starting attending those gatherings. How wonderful to see their integration into their new town started with a nip down to the local library to sign up and borrow a few books.
Why is connecting with our community so important?
The Australian Unity Real Wellbing (2020) explains “community connectedness is the measure of our sense of community – that is, how connected we feel to those around us. The leading study into the wellbeing of Australians for the last 20 years, the Australian Unity Wellbeing Index reports that feeling as though we are part of a diverse and supportive community has a positive impact on our wellbeing. Our communities offer us collective support, a sense of belonging, and play a key role in combating loneliness as we age.
As a result, the Wellbeing Index has identified “community connectedness” as one of the seven key “domains”, or factors, that contribute to our wellbeing, along with relationships, health, standard of living, safety, achieving in life and future security.”
Ever heard of ‘blue zones’…
Blue zones are places around the world with larger numbers of people living to 100 or older. As addressed in the article Lessons from the Blue Zones: The Vital Role of Community (Doneen, 2023) “one central theme that consistently emerges in all 5 regions is the profound importance of belonging to a community”.
“A sense of belonging in a group can significantly impact a person’s mental health, reducing anxiety, stress and loneliness.. It is a beautiful fact that our lives are more fruitful and rewarding when we share them with others.”
Who could sum it up better than author and screenwriter Sidney Sheldon… “Libraries store the energy that fuels the imagination. They open up windows to the world and inspire us the explore and achieve, and contribute to improving our quality of life. Libraries change lives for the better”.