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Special Collections

Your Library offers several special interest collections around the region.

Browse the items below to learn more about our collections and how to access them.

The Adult Literacy Collection is housed at Boronia and Realm Libraries. It includes books on grammar, spelling, and arithmetic, as well as novels for those learning to read.

Browse the collection here.

Board games are available for loan from the following branches: Belgrave, Boronia, Croydon and Realm.

Members may borrow up to 2 board games at a time. The collection is searchable via the catalogue and items may be reserved by members at no charge.

Most library branches carry Choice Magazine, including back issues lasting up to 2 years. View the collection, and place reservations, here.

Or, access Choice online using a Library PC. Enjoy full, 100% free access to every Choice review and product comparison. Please ask library staff for login information. Book a Library PC here.

The Dementia Care Collection is designed for people living with dementia and their carers.

The collection features a range of materials like photobooks, puzzles, tools, and other objects designed to provide stimulation and keep the mind active. These materials help people living with dementia find pleasure and relaxation by offering valuable and varied mental stimulus.

Items may be borrowed like any other library item (3-week loan period, with two renewals). However, items must be reserved; library members can browse the collection here.

For more information, please contact Realm Library, or visit this page.

Children receive messages about gender everyday through behaviours, images, written and spoken words at home, at school and in other settings. Beyond Sparkles and Superheroes is a special book list that features children’s picture books themed on gender equality and equity. These picture books present child characters in a way that challenges gender stereotypes.

See the full list here.

These are just a sample of books available on the theme of gender equality or gender equity. They have been chosen because they are both enjoyable stories to read with your child and because they represent a range of approaches to the topic of gender equity.

Stories and books are a powerful learning tool for our children. Stories that depict children participating in a wide range of positive and diverse activities expands their horizons of what is possible. Stories Beyond Stereotypes features real and imaginary characters who follow their own path, unconstrained by gender stereotypes.

See the full list here.

A collection of books aimed at primary school children featuring real and imaginary characters who follow their own path, unconstrained by gender stereotypes.

Stories and books are a powerful learning tool for our children and stories that depict children participating in a wide range of positive and diverse activities expands their horizons of what is possible. The booklist has been collated to complement other books and traditional stories already available for our members.

Your Library collects adult fiction and non-fiction, junior material, magazines and newspapers in other languages. The collections are situated at the following branches, with the demographics of the local population in mind.

 

BRANCH →

LANGUAGE ↓

BAYSWATERCROYDONKNOX EXPRESSREALMROWVILLE
ChineseAdult Fiction & Non-Fiction
Junior Fiction & Non-Fiction
Teenage Fiction
DVDs
CDs
Adult Fiction & Non-Fiction
DVDs
Junior Fiction & Non-Fiction
Junior Picture Books
Adult Fiction & Non-Fiction
Junior Fiction & Non-Fiction
DVDs
CDs
Newspapers (China Melbourne Daily)
Adult Fiction & Non-Fiction
CDs
DVDs
Junior Fiction
Junior Picture Books
Adult Fiction & Non-Fiction
DVDs
Newspapers (China Melbourne Daily)
French  Junior Fiction  
German  Junior Fiction  
Italian  Junior Fiction  
Japanese  Junior Fiction  
Spanish  Junior Fiction  
Vietnamese  Junior Fiction
  

If your first language is not listed here, there may be a collection housed at a nearby library belonging to another library service. Public Libraries Victoria maintains this list of LOTE Collections in Victorian public libraries.

The University of Melbourne and Monash University also produce and maintain this comprehensive list of Asian Collections at public and university libraries in Victoria.

A collection of music scores is available for loan at Belgrave and Croydon Libraries. The collection covers a range of popular and classical music. The collection is fully searchable and items may be reserved by members at no charge.

See the full list here.

Your Library holds many local and national newspapers, including digital access. See the full list here.

The C-Pen ReaderPen is a brilliant literacy tool. It scans and reads written text out loud with natural speaking voices; stores text for later; and can look up and explain the meaning of words.

The ReaderPen converts printed text to speech and can help people with a range of difficulties including:
 
  • Dyslexia
  • Aphasia
  • Dementia
  • Down Syndrome
  • Vision Impairment

Hear the words through earphones, the built-in speaker, or plug in an external speaker if required.

Learn more, and reserve your ReaderPen, here.

The Seed Library is a free borrowing service aiming to cultivate a thriving community of gardeners and seed savers, while building and sharing knowledge, and fostering community resilience, self-reliance, and a culture of sharing.

You can donate seeds saved from your garden or leftover seeds from purchased packets. Just drop them in to any of our libraries.

Members can borrow up to 3 packets of seed for free! Plant/Grow the seeds in your garden, nurture plants to maturity and donate seed back to the library.

The Seed Library is currently available at Belgrave, Boronia, Lilydale, Mooroolbark, Rowville and Yarra Junction Libraries.

Console video games are available for loan from the following branches: Belgrave, Croydon, Realm and Rowville (but they can be reserved for collection from any branch). Games are available for every major console. Members may borrow up to 2 console video games at a time.

Search and reserve games here.

Library Services

Eastern Regional Libraries Corporation

Your library provides a range of useful services to the communities of Maroondah, Knox and the Yarra Ranges. It’s free to join! Visit your local library to enjoy:

Branch Services

Full library membership is open to any Victorian resident, provided they supply, on their first visit to the library, proof of identity and a Victorian address. If you are over 18, you can join online by completing the web membership form. We will post your membership card to your Victorian address within the next week. When you visit your local branch, bring along some proof of identity and you will be able to borrow library items immediately. Children under 18 will need the signature of a parent or guardian to become library members. By becoming a library member, you agree to abide by Conditions of Membership. Existing library members may update their address in person only.

For all of our branch services, please visit our Using Your Library page.

Events

Our What’s On page displays up-to-date information about our latest exciting events across the entire region. For more information about our current events schedule, please consult our seasonal events guide here.

To reserve your place at one of our events, please visit our events calendar.

Your library is home to regular storytime events where your child can enjoy stories and rhymes presented by a children’s librarian. These sessions happen frequently and are suitable for children of various ages. Please visit the Storytime page to find out more.

Eastern Regional Libraries delivers a monthly newsletter filled with news about our latest high-profile events, most popular reads, new online resources, and much more! To subscribe, simply slide further down this page to view the subscribe box above the footer.

Outreach Services

Eastern Regional Libraries is proud to operate two Mobile Library services. The Knox Mobile Library visits many residential aged care facilities, industrial estates, schools, community centres and festivals in the Knox Council area. This mobile library service has been popular with Knox residents for many years, with about 2,000 books inside a newly designed space. The Yarra Ranges Flexi Vehicle brings library services to communities in the Yarra Ranges. It’s a highly mobile vehicle that frequently visits preschools, community groups and aged care facilities.

The Eastern Regional Libraries Home Library Service delivers library material to people who are unable to visit the library. The service is provided from certain branches and relies on the support of the local community. For more information, please click here.

Visit BizLibrary, an online portal connecting local businesses with valuable online resources to boost them in a digital world.

A whole range of services are provided to local schools. Please visit the Schools page to find out more.

Other Services

Eastern Regional Libraries supports lifelong learning and endeavours to support Distance Education or off-campus students by offering exam invigilation for written or online exams. Invigilation requests must be submitted to the Library a minimum of two weeks in advance of the desired examination date. The student assumes all responsibility for making arrangements for the examination. To view our exam supervision policy, please click here.

The Dementia Care Collection is designed for people living with Dementia and their carers. The collection features a range of materials like photobooks, puzzles, tools, and other objects designed to provide stimulation and keep the mind active. These materials help people living with dementia find pleasure and relaxation by offering valuable and varied mental stimulus.
Items may be borrowed like any other ERL item for a six week period. However, users wishing to access the collection must speak to their local library manager first.
For more information, please contact Realm library, or visit this page.

Family History

Exclusively at the Library

Access ancestry.com and findmypast.com.au for free using library computers or using your device connected to library Wi-Fi.

Getting started with Family History

Have you always wanted to trace your family history but don’t know where to start? Your Library can help you start to trace your family in Australia and overseas, using online databases, books, microfiche, and CDROMs.

Before you start your research, it is advisable to take the following steps:

1. Borrow books

Books on beginning family history research are available from the library.

2. Speak to older members of the family

They can remember earlier family members who are no longer alive and may also have photographs and other memorabilia that will help provide dates and other details.

3. Obtain copies of certificates

Try obtaining birth and marriage certificates for yourself, your parents and possible grandparents. Each certificate enables you to take another step back – from marriage to birth to the previous generation.

4. Record and chart

Keep all of the information you receive and chart relationships for easy reference.

Visit a branch

Family History records are held by the following branches (records vary from branch to branch):

Contact a Family History Librarian