Community
10 April, 2025
Libraries continue to thrive, data shows
CORANGAMITE Moyne Library Service has ranked second in the state for per-capita digital downloads, making it the most popular service offered by the joint-shire libraries.
Corangamite Cooriemungle Ward councillor Jamie Vogels said the ease of borrowing and listening to an audiobook allows people to cross those ‘must read books’ off their list while still getting day-to-day tasks done.
“I enjoy them while driving up and down the paddock in my tractor as I’m feeding out or ploughing and I’ve found my listening has expanded thanks to how easy our service makes it to access,” he said.
“I’ve listened to a few of Peter FitzSimons’ stories on Australian History. His book on Captain Cook, ‘James Cook: The Story Behind the Man who Mapped the World,’ was really good and I also really enjoyed ‘Batavia’.”
Borrow Box is quick and easy to setup, requiring only a library card number and pin to set up an account.
Moyne Shire Mayor Karen Foster said audiobooks have seen the biggest growth across borrowers and has heard that users love listening on the go.
“Enjoying a book while travelling, in the garden, walking or doing pretty much anything else is one of the great advantages of our digital services,” she said.
“The flexibility to have a book, including new releases, at your fingertips on your devices is an opportunity to rewire that want to scroll social media, with scrolling an eBook or eMagazine.”
Australian authors seem to be the pick of the bunch across both adult and child readers in Moyne and Corangamite, with Liane Moriarty’s ‘Here One Moment’ topping the audiobook list at the moment and with Tracey Stringer’s ‘Head for the Hills’ the most borrowed eBook.
Former Aussie soap star Isla Fisher’s ‘Marge in Charge’ is the most borrowed children’s audiobook from the service and amongst young adult eReaders local Victorian author Mark Smith features heavily.
For more information about the digital service offered by Corangamite and Moyne Library Service, visit any local branch and speak with the staff.
Opening hours and locations of all branches are available at www.cmlibraries.com.au.
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