PUBLIC LIBRARIES

Local Government & ABS Newsletter highlights
Local Government and ABS is a quarterly newsletter created by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) aimed at helping the Local Government Sector use statistics to assist with planning and other community servicing decisions. This is a free newsletter and we encourage you to forward it to others and post it on your bulletin board. This particularly issue includes details about the new Australian Standard Geographical Classification (ASGC). The ASGC has been highlighted as one of the most useful sources when local governments are planning, developing and delivering services within their areas.

To subscribe: send an email to Jeff Ots with 'subscribe Local Government and ABS' in the subject line.Training news

What an opportunity - Networking over the ABS web site!

Libraries surrounding the Geraldton region of Western Australian shared an ABS awareness and web site training session. Margaret Garner, Western Australia's LEP Consultant, visited Geraldton in regional WA at the Conference for Regional Libraries and provided an ABS information session for our rural Australian communities. Librarians from surrounding areas including Badgingarra, Three Springs and Wiluna met to discuss their experiences and keep up to date with new developments. Vicki Carlyon (State Library of WA) also attended from Perth to provide training and to catch up. It was a great day! Fantastic to meet these women who provide such valuable service to their clients in remote and rural communities. There was overall appreciation and approval of the ABS web site and applause for the Free Statistics on the Web initiative. A big thank you to Andrea for arranging the day.



New and forthcoming releases

Attendance at Selected Cultural Venues and Events, Australia 2005-06 (ABS cat. no. 4114.0). Released 25 January 2007. With an attendance rate of 34% of people aged 15 years and over (5,454,500 people), national, state and local libraries were the third most attended cultural venue or event in 2006-06. Almost two-thirds (65%) of those who had visited a library during the 12-month period had visited more than 6 times during that period, including 25% who had visited more than 20 times. Good work!

General Social Survey: Summary Results, Australia 2006 (cat. no. 4159.0) To be released 20 April 2007.
The General Social Survey brings together a wide range of information to enable it to be linked across areas of social concern. Topics include health, housing, education, work, income, financial stress, broad assets and liabilities, transport, social capital, voluntary work, family and community, and crime. The GSS is a rich source of data for analysis of the wellbeing of Australians.

Do you have an interest in Children and Youth issues? Try the National Children and Youth Newsletter (cat. no. 4105.0).

The March 2007 issue includes:

• Release of the Children and Youth Information Development Plan
• Update on the Children and Youth Portal planned for the National Data Network
• Children's Participation in Cultural and Leisure Activities

These titles are a selection of what the ABS is currently releasing this quarter. They are available free on the ABS web site. Keep up to date by subscribing to the free ABS Email Notification Service.