Public libraries serve as community hubs that offer more than just books. As a vital information service, public libraries ensure that all members of the community have fair and equitable access to resources that support their knowledge, interests, and wellbeing (Wakeling et al., 2022). In rural and regional contexts, libraries provide particularly significant contributions to their local community, supporting patrons to make meaningful social connections and addressing the technological inequities presented by their geographical locations. Further, public libraries located in country towns are often compelled to address knowledge and/ or wellbeing needs, unique to their own local community demographics, that may normally be provided by other services in a metropolitan location (Hider et al., 2024).
Operating as a systematised network, the Mildura Rural City Council (MRCC) Libraries and Knowledge Hubs are located across 5 physical sites, that span more than 200km across Sunraysia, Victoria. The library also runs a rural outreach library services van to four more locations, as well as a home library delivery service that aims to increase accessibility to eligible community members (Mildura Rural City Council, 2025a). Mildura hosts the central branch of the MRCC library network and is located on Latji Latji Country, adjacent to the Murray River and the traditional waterways of the Barkandji people (Chilly, 2020). Geographically, Mildura is located 400km Northeast of Adelaide, 550km Northwest of Melbourne and 1100km West of Sydney (Regional Development Victoria, 2023). Despite its regional location, Mildura currently has over 57 000 citizens with a population projected to increase for the foreseeable future. 26.3% of the population in Mildura is aged over 60 years (slightly higher than the state average of 22.4%) and 4.6% of Mildura citizens identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander (more than four times the state average). Young people, aged 0-19 years constitute 21.3% of Mildura’s populace compared to the Victorian average of 23.6% (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021; Mildura Rural City Council, 2025b).
Reading materials are carefully selected to meet the needs and interests of the local community, and include a vast regular and large print collection, dyslexic print texts, magazines, graphic novels and a variety of formats that support audio, visual and digital text accessibility. Physical resources can be accessed across a consortium of Victorian libraries, allowing customers to request items from sites across the state. As well as boasting a broad, hybrid collection of quality reading resources, MRCC libraries connect their patrons with services such as information technology assistance, digital preservation services, community engagement and social groups, strategic lifelong literacy programs and rural outreach programs. Additionally, MRCC libraries serve the wellbeing of their community through various health initiatives. Examples of these include co-hosting spaces for health outreach services like the Community Paramedicine Program, the loaning of health monitoring devices through innovative schemes such as the Mildura Library of Things, a vegetable and herb seed co-operative and a soundproof booth which enable private meetings, including telehealth consults (Mallee Track Health & Community Service, 2022; Mildura Rural City Council, 2025c).
The MRCC Libraries and Knowledge Hubs are founded upon values that underpin the overarching work of the MRCC. These values include respect, teamwork, customer satisfaction, open communication and integrity (Mildura Rural City Council, 2025d). In 2025, the MRCC developed a consultation-based vision of the municipality into the future and determined that the Libraries and Knowledge Hubs strive to meet the ongoing cultural, educational and recreational needs of its patrons and are a vital supporting service in developing a healthy, respectful and connected community (Mildura Rural City Council, 2025e).
References
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Mildura 2021 census. https://abs.gov.au/census/find-census-data/quickstats/2021/LGA24780
Chilly, T. (2020). Yuranga Aboriginal network Mildura local Aboriginal network community plan 2020. https://www.mildura.vic.gov.au/files/assets/public/document-resources/council/publications/community-plans/yuranga-community-plan-2020.pdf
Hider, P., Wakeling, S., Marshall, A., & Garner, J. (2024). Public library services in rural Australia: Challenges and prospects. Journal of the Australian Library and Information Association, 73(2), 122-147. https://doi.org/10.1080/24750158.2024.2315338
Mallee Track Health & Community Service. (30 March, 2022). Mallee track pleased with community paramedic trial. https://www.mthcs.com.au/news-and-events/news/2022/03/29/mallee-track-pleased-with-community-paramedic-trial
Mildura Rural City Council. (2025a). City profile. https://www.mildura.vic.gov.au/Council/About-Council/City-Profile
Mildura Rural City Council. (2025b). Library locations & opening hours. https://www.mildura.vic.gov.au/Explore/Libraries/Library-locations-opening-hour
Mildura Rural City Council. (2025c). Library services. https://www.mildura.vic.gov.au/Explore/Libraries/Library-services
Mildura Rural City Council. (2025d). Working at council. https://www.mildura.vic.gov.au/Council/Careers/Working-at-Council
Mildura Rural City Council. (2025e). Council plan 2025-2029. https://www.mildura.vic.gov.au/Council/Policies-plans-and-strategies/Community-Vision-Council-Plan
Regional Development Victoria. (27 December, 2023). Regional city of Mildura. https://www.rdv.vic.gov.au/victorias-regions/mildura
Wakeling, S., Garner, J., Hider, P., Jamali, H., Lymn, J., Mansourian, Y., & Randell-Moon, H. (2022). ‘The challenge now is for us to remain relevant’: Australian public libraries and the COVID-19 crisis. IFLA Journal, 48(1), 138–154. https://doi.org/10.1177/03400352211054115