The LBW Trust, in collaboration with Friends of Libraries Australia (FOLA) and Harvey Norman, are pleased to announce that 78 country libraries throughout regional, rural and remote Australia are the recipients of much-needed funding through the Trust’s 2023 National Backyard Cricket (NBYC) campaign.
Leeton Shire Library was one of the 78 libraries to receive a National Backyard Cricket Grant. The library received $1200.00 to upgrade and extend their musical instruments. “We are so grateful to receive this funding from National Backyard Cricket. It makes a huge difference for small, rural communities such as ours,” said Rachel Cody, who made the initial application.
$110,126 was distributed to 78 libraries (NSW 29; QLD 4; SA 13; TAS 5; VIC 8; WA 19) for projects ranging from establishing a Seed Library; holding mindfulness meditation workshops; introducing a Story Dog program; educational programs to increase digital literacy; Aboriginal cultural education events; a summer reading challenge; and a teenager led STEM Club The Innovation Station to run weekly at Broome Public Library in Western Australia.
“Backyard cricket holds a special place in Australia and it is wonderful to be able to combine our love of cricket with supporting country libraries,” says NBYC Chair Marek Ristwej. “Funding has been made possible by the generous donations of individuals who participated in 2022/2023 NBYC events, plus great support from retailer Harvey Norman and LBW Trust supporters. We are delighted to be able to fund all 78 applicants! We look forward to seeing their projects come to life and the difference they will make in their community.”
FOLA President Jack Goodman says “Country libraries are at the heart of the community, providing havens where people of all ages and backgrounds can come together to share ideas, learn new skills and connect with each other. These grants are another example of the exceptional projects being run by Australia’s under-funded and under-valued country public libraries.”
Chief Operating Officer & Executive Director at Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd John Slack-Smith says, “We are very proud to be supporting Australian country libraries. With 65% of Harvey Norman Franchised complexes located in regional Australia, we proactively support important initiatives such as this that help small communities gain further access to the technology they need to thrive and connect within their community.”
