Public libraries and lifelong learning
The Hume City Council’s Hume Global Learning Centre was opened in 2003, and is home to
the first ever public library in Broadmeadows.
The multipurpose learning facility was established through the work of Hume City Council,
together with the Hume Global Learning Village (a network of over 800 organisations and
individuals with an interest in learning in Hume City), to address local learning needs
specific to its highly diverse multicultural community.
A beacon for learning, the Hume Global Learning Centre is an innovative facility that
places a major public library within a venue designed to host and facilitate informal and
formal learning activities. The centre is equipped with the latest multimedia and offers
computer and internet training programs, an e-Play internet café, seminar and meeting
rooms and a community exhibition space.
By providing library services in association with other community learning activities and
resources, in a facility located right in the middle of the city, next to the train station and
shopping centre, the library service has become a hub for the community, young and old.
Library programs and resources include Babytime (supports the development of literacy
skills from birth); Chess Club; Get Talking for IELTS; Net.Help; Practice English Group;
Storytimes in English and other languages; TumbleBooks, (online talking story books for
children); and Yourtutor (live online homework support for students in years 4-12).
The collection features a wide range of learning resources in a variety of languages to suit
the diverse community.
The Hume experience has been so successful that a new Hume Global Learning Centre is
being developed for Craigieburn.
www.humelibraries.vic.gov.au and www.hume.vic.gov.au
The information used in this factsheet has been taken
from Libraries Building Communities, State Library of
Victoria, 2005. More information and a link to this
document can be found at www.plvn.net.au.
February 2012