LOCAL LIFE
ONE OF THE HILLS FINEST... by Lorna Gordon
Libraries are an amazing community hub that can quite often get overlooked, but they are much more than a place with physical books these days, they host clubs, children’ s and babies groups,
Our local libraries have books and much more to offer the community.
homework sessions, online services and access to computers.
In the Hills we are lucky to have four excellent Libraries, they are located in Baulkham Hills, Castle Hill, Dural and Rouse Hill Town Centre. Each have a large variety of services available and spaces
for people who need quiet to work or study for school and higher education.
Joining The Hills Shire Library is free for NSW residents and is easy to sign up to get a library card.
The card allows you to borrow up to ten items per card which can be returned in person to any branch of the library or after hours library chute. Local residents can even join online for digital resources, while visiting a branch in person grants full membership access.
If you like to get out of the house there are always the traditional books and magazines held in the library. You can browse the shelves and online collections, if you need some recommendations for what your next read should be, check out staff picks or look at the reading lists available for your next page turner.
There are also lots of clubs and interactive activities to take part in. If you have a baby or toddler at home, baby bounce or toddler time might be just what you need to keep your little one entertained. You can join craft clubs, book clubs, there is a bricks club for young Lego enthusiasts, writers groups and English conversationalist groups, to name a few.
If you can’ t visit the library but want to use their services, you may be eligible for their home library services and have a selection of books delivered to your home free of charge. To access this service, you can register on the Hills Shire Council website by searching Home Library Service.
With digital services being increasingly common the library can help you online services to keep adults and children fully stocked with books, magazines, audio books and more. The E services provided by the local libraries include the use of books and magazines through the Libby and Borrow Box apps on phones and tablets, as well as Indyreads,
For children there is Tumblebooks and Story Box Library. All of these can be accessed online for free using your library card when registering. The added advantage of the e services is that you don’ t have to worry about kids loosing books, or having to return them on time, it is all done as part of the service.
Taking convenience a step further, the Hills Shire Library App lets members manage their library experience entirely from their smartphone or tablet. Through the app you can search the library
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6 ISSUE 128 // FEBRUARY 2026 theindependentmagazine. com. au THE HILLS INDEPENDENT