"A significant proportion of people experiencing homelessness are in regional, rural and remote Australia, where there are fewer services available to assist"
The aim of the Partnership Framework Kit is to provide library staff with a practical tool to assist in developing successful partnerships to deliver programs and services to the community.
"Maintaining connections with other people and staying integrated in society is an important aspect of keeping your brain healthy. Isolation is a known risk factor for dementia, and continuing research suggests that loneliness may also increase the risk. “Research has shown that people with regular social ties are significantly less likely to demonstrate cognitive decline when compared to those who are lonely or isolated” (Ristau 2011)
Pop Ups as social movements The Footpath Library started in Sydney in 2003 when a young woman who was volunteering to feed the homeless noticed a man reading a book under a street light. She began to regularly bring him books to read and from this the Footpath Library was created. The Footpath library donates “near-new” and new books to homeless and marginalised people across Australia.
“Public libraries are a vital element in public services in this country. They are welcoming spaces held in great affection by their communities. They provide a focus for individual learning for people of all ages and access to vital information and community networks for the socially excluded; they are gateways to local arts and cultural activities; and they are leading the drive to increase the use of Information and Communication Technology among all sectors of society”
(DCMS, Comprehensive, Efficient and Modern Public Libraries – Standards and Assessment, 2001)
