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#FlashbackFriday ⌛ As we count down to the reopening of Ascot Vale Library, join us in looking back at the Union Road library over the decades.

The 1980s began with threats to the Ascot Vale Library service. In 1979, just three years after the library opened, State Government funding cuts meant the cessation of the vinyl and cassette collections, and a proposal to close Ascot Vale on Mondays, among other reductions in service across the library network. Thankfully these reductions in service were largely avoided. 😌

Unfortunately this wasn’t the only issue the library faced in the 1980s. Further State Government cuts in 1987 again threatened the service. Librarian Pauline Meaney poses here with a small coffin in protest of these latter cuts; the Friends of the Moonee Valley Regional Library were also involved in protesting cuts to service throughout the 1980s. 💸

Despite these challenges, there was a significant investment in migrant services, with Ascot Vale developing special collections in community languages, and community information services. There were also some wonderful events, as we see in these photos of a Spanish cultural program, and Elizabeth Honey giving a talk for Children’s Book Week. And of course there were some wonderful staff - this photo shows Julie Blythe, May Rodillas, & Anne Paltridge. 🌍🎺📚🤓

Also: get a load of that wallpaper! 👀

📷 Moonee Valley Libraries collection

#MooneeValleyLibraries #LibrariesChangeLives #Flashback #LocalHistory #AscotValeHistory #MooneeValleyHistory #UnionRoad #AscotVale #OldVintageMelbourne

mooneevalleylibraries

#FlashbackFriday ⌛ As we begin the countdown to the reopening of Ascot Vale Library, join us in looking back at the Union Road library over the decades.

Ascot Vale Library was opened in 1976. It was the second library in the City of Essendon, and the first `shop-front` library. The building was formerly a branch of the English, Scottish & Australian Bank and was constructed around the 1920s. The library was opened in 1976 and jumped right into it, hosting author talks, indoor gardening workshops, and even a spinning and weaving club. 🧶 Nonfiction was arranged by genre (as it still is today), books were available in five languages, and one could also borrow cassette tapes and vinyl. 📼 The Annual Report stated: "The success of this small library has been phenomenal. As well as achieving the highest use per capita in the region, it has attracted a large proportion of the working class population of the suburb. [...] it has struck a chord with this community." 🎉

📷 Sources: City of Essendon Yearbook 1977; Moonee Valley Libraries collection

#MooneeValleyLibraries #LibrariesChangeLives #Flashback #LocalHistory #AscotValeHistory #UnionRoad #AscotVale #OldVintageMelbourne