Oscar Parry
Macedon Ranges council, Goldfields Libraries and Sunbury and Cobaw Community Health are partnering to promote libraries as an important resource during winter.
The ‘warm spaces’ initiative aims to promote Macedon Ranges libraries as a place to ease financial pressures throughout winter.
Council said libraries help to achieve this through providing free literature across several formats, free Wi-Fi, free activities for all ages, and a place to keep warm.
Goldfields Library Corporation engagement and operations manager Jess Saunders said accessing these services can help to reduce bills.
“Libraries are safe and inclusive spaces, and everyone is welcome to use them. You can stay all day in a comfortable warm environment, surrounded by friendly people, without needing to spend any money or worry about running up energy bills,” Ms Saunders said.
With the announcement of the initiative coinciding with National Homelessness Week, Macedon Ranges community director Maria Weiss said council “encourages those experiencing homelessness to reach out for support and use libraries as a safe, warm space to help stay connected.”
“We know providing public warm spaces doesn’t solve the issue of homelessness, but it does go some way towards providing a safe space, where people can feel connected to the community,” she said.
“That connection can also provide an opportunity to find out what other services may be available to them.”
Sunbury and Cobaw Community Health housing support and financial services team leader Kate Weston said the organisation can assist in this regard.
“We can … refer people to other services that the organisation offers such as counselling and family services,” Ms Weston said.
“The warm spaces initiative offers local community members a valuable source of support where they can access lots of useful information.”
