Background Image

Happy Mondays – Tracey Edwards

Welcome to our first Happy Mondays, a mini-Q&A series by Arts Queensland where we invite people in the arts and cultural sector to tell us about their favourite Queensland cultural experiences.

This week we feature, Tracey Edwards the librarian at Flinders Shire Public Library.  As this week is also National Volunteer Week, we asked Tracey  some questions about the volunteers at the library.

Tracey EdwardsWhat are you creatively working on at the moment?

  • National Simultaneous Storytime – Story Time and Craft
  • Biggest Morning Tea  – Table Decorations
  • Under 8’s Week – Library Display
  • Digitisation Plan – Recording local history documents/photos
     

Where would we find you on a Monday?
At the library in my back office getting ready for the week ahead.

How many volunteers at the Flinders Library and what roles do they undertake?
There are currently 9 volunteers working in the library. At the end of last year we had up to 15 but this number has reduced with people leaving town or due to illness

Roles include: cleaning shelves, putting books away, help with library exchange, digitisation of local history information/photos, helping at library events/catering/fundraising, helping with other smaller libraries set up in the community, family history research, assisting me with school holiday programs and the last project was knitting poppies for ANZAC Day and wiring them onto sticks for our ANZAC Service Display.

All over they help with anything I need. I try to find out what they enjoy and work around their own personal strengths and try to develop their weaknesses.

How do you think volunteers benefit the library?
Without my library volunteers, I would not be able to complete all our activities and events. I would be lost without them and I cherish all my volunteers dearly. They make my library a better place.

Favourite arts and cultural experience in Flinders Shire
Squaring the Wheel, this was a fantastic show that was offered by RADF Funding. The local schools attended and last Saturday there was a community event for everyone.

So looking forward to the Qld Opera, which is visiting the Flinders Shire in August this year

What shouldn’t visitors miss if they are coming to the Flinders Shire

  • My Library!!
  • Then the Flinders Discovery Centre
  • Mutt – Full bodied fibreglass replica of a Muttaburrasaurus Sculptures
  • Windmill Panel Sculptures
  • Mt Walker Lookout
  • Kooroorinya Falls Nature Reserve
  • Porcupine Gorge Nature Park

Tracey has been employed at the Flinders Shire Public Library for five years this December. Her passion is to bring all available services, technologies and activities to the shire. She is a current member of the Flinders Shire Arts Advisory Group.