By Christine Yunn-Yu Sun
Now that summer is almost here, some of us may be reminiscing about the cool winter days, the warm doona and hot cuppa, and a pile of good books to go with the cold, quiet nights.
This reviewer recently chatted with Robin Barden, Manager of Lilydale Library, about the Warm Winter Read campaign last June to August.
The annual campaign was hosted by Public Libraries Victoria and facilitated by all 51 public library services across the state.
Along with Janet Laws from Croydon Library, Barden coordinated some of the reading initiatives on behalf of Your Library Ltd.
“This was the third year of the campaign, with 1800 readers signing up for the challenge,” Barden said.
“It’s been tremendous to see so many of our patrons getting involved and sharing their passion for reading. Some very keen readers actually told me they wished the challenge could have gone on longer!”
“The library staff love to get involved as well, reading, reviewing and recommending books and taking part in the various challenges. Some of our favourite challenges this year were ‘Create a Cosy Reading Spot’, ‘Listen to an Audiobook’, and the ‘Literary Pair and Share’ foodie challenge.”
One of the campaign’s highlights was author Garry Disher’s visit to Lilydale Library.
A Warm Winter Read Ambassador, Disher spoke to a very enthusiastic audience about his crime fiction, including his latest book Sanctuary.
During the challenge, Barden herself enjoyed books by authors such as Claire Keegan, Paul Murray, Madeleine Gray, Clare Chambers, and Bonnie Garmus – just to name a few.
When asked about people’s reading tastes and habits in recent years, Barden said: “There has been a big move to ebooks – many people love the convenience, while some still prefer the tactile qualities of a physical book. Audiobooks are also increasing in popularity in our busy lives.”
“The way people discover new books is also changing, with people sharing their passion for reading on social media platforms such as TikTok. Ultimately people who love to read will read in
any format and don’t like to be without a good book.”
“People love Australian stories, as can be seen from the success of ‘Australian Noir’, gripping crime stories by writers such as Jane Harper, Candice Fox, Chris Hammer, and of course the aforementioned Disher.”
“There has been an increase in diverse voices in Australian writing. For example, there have been some brilliant books published recently by First Nation writers. Graphic novels are also an increasingly popular and inventive way of storytelling,” Barden said.
She described libraries as “warm, vibrant community spaces offering so much to the library user (and for free!)”.
“The best way to support libraries is to pay us a visit, join up and use all the great things on offer – and best of all, by borrowing a book… or three.”
“Research shows us that reading for pleasure offers so many benefits, with a positive impact on our mental health and feelings of connectedness. It also increases empathy, self-esteem, and awareness of other cultures.”
“Librarians love to engage with readers and share the pleasure we all gain from stories. Hearing what people have enjoyed reading and sharing recommendations is one of the best parts of my day,” Barden concluded.
