Read all about it: Dandenong’s loss could be Casey’s gain

By Shaun Inguanzo
A MOBILE library service is strongly tipped to be the City of Casey’s solution to serving the literacy needs of its coastal townships.
Tooradin, Warneet, Blind Bight, and Cannons Creek, along with the developing areas of Berwick South and Narre Warren South, could all be on the route for a mobile library.
This week River Gum Ward councillor and mobile library advocate Wayne Smith said he would push for the Casey-Cardinia Library Corporation to consider purchasing Greater Dandenong’s recently retired prime mover and library trailer, providing the city was happy to sell it.
Greater Dandenong stopped its service last month after an officer’s report said only 50 people out of the 2000 registered were using the service each year.
Cr Smith said if Greater Dandenong did not want the mobile library but it was still in good condition, he would recommend that the Casey-Cardinia Library Corporation investigate purchasing the prime mover and trailer.
Cr Smith said he didn’t want to create a Casey versus Greater Dandenong ‘war’ over the mobile library.
“But if it came to the position where the service is not going to run and (Greater Dandenong) is going to sell the whole kit and caboodle, and it was suitable to be used here, then I would certainly push for Casey to investigate buying it,” he said.
Cr Smith is a passionate advocate for mobile library services and said a new service would cater for residents in the city’s coastal towns, and growing populations of Narre Warren South and Berwick South.
“I am not in favour of big libraries and people having to travel – I believe libraries should instead be close and accessible to residents,” Cr Smith said.
Purchasing the Greater Dandenong mobile library could prove to be an economical move for the City of Casey, even if its trailer needs refurbishing or refitting.
Cr Smith said he believed a new service would cost about $2 million, yet a Greater Dandenong report to the council on its mobile library maintenance last year said it would cost $600,000 to upgrade the service.
Last week City of Greater Dandenong Keysborough Ward councillor Roz Blades said the prime mover was in prime condition – it had only travelled 47,500 kilometres.
In its official response the City of Casey remained tight-lipped on – but did not rule out – the possibility of buying the mobile library.
Casey manager of art and leisure Robyn Bowen said there had “been no official approach” regarding the purchase of Dandenong’s recently retired mobile service.
“Nor has there been any approach to the Casey-Cardinia Library Corporation (CCLC) about the possibility of operating the bus,” Ms Bowen said.