As reported last week the Council services in the Community Hub such as the Visitor Information Centre, Grenfell Art Gallery, Grenfell Public Library and Grenfell Internet Centre are temporarily CLOSED for face-to-face customer service for two weeks. The evolving situation will be monitored and assessed in regard to reopening in August.

I will be contactable by telephone and email; however, the Library is now closed for over-the-counter assistance until further notice. This is a challenging time for us all, we apologise for any inconvenience and appreciate your understanding and patience as we work together to reduce the risk of the spread of COVID-19.

As we did last year during April, and May I will be offering the Click and Collect/Delivery service. You must already be a library member to access either of these services. Please check the library website https://grenfellpubliclibrary.org.au for further updates.

Are you up to the challenge? Registrations are now open

To celebrate the Olympics and Paralympics I will be running a Reading Olympics. This is a reading competition open to all ages. Prizes will be awarded for different age categories. Registrations have opened via https://grenfellpubliclibrary.org.au, and the reading competition commenced on Friday 23 July which is the day of the Olympics opening ceremony in Tokyo. The competition will end on Monday 6 September which is the day of the Paralympics closing ceremony.

All reading options will be available. This means you can read books from the public library, school library, BorrowBox, indyreads, Story Box Library or your own home.

You have to be in it to win.

Free author talks continue in August

As these are online talks they are still going ahead.

Thursday 5 August at 6.30pm Kyle Perry will be in conversation with Catherine du Peloux Menage from Bad Sydney Crime Writers' Festival. This event will be live streamed from Randwick City Library with the support of NSW Public Libraries Association.

Thursday 19 August at 6.30pm Larissa Behrendt will be in conversation with Kiesha Mealey-Haroa from City of Parramatta Libraries. This event will be delivered with the support of NSW Public Libraries Association.

Reminder that you need to prebook via Eventbrite for both sessions.

New eResources are now available

Thanks to the State Library of NSW we have new eResources available for you to use free of charge. These include access to full text newspapers, health and wellness, interactive science, business plan builder, business entrepreneurship, literature resource, books and author (what to read next), environmental, biography, global issues, opposing viewpoints, science and world history plus a couple of great national geographic sites. The virtual library and national geographic kids. You can find these and many others at https://grenfellpubliclibrary.org.au/e-resources/

Book Delivery Service

Are you aware that the library provides a delivery service to those who are physically unable to visit the library? If you live within the town limits and would love some reading materials on a regular basis delivered to you then please contact the library.

Library catalogue access

Reminder to everyone that you have 24/7 access to the library catalogue. Not only can you search for an item, but you can log into your account and renew your items. Access is via the library website https://grenfellpubliclibrary.org.au/ Your User ID is your member number on your card B0..... and your password is your date of birth ddmmyy.

Story Box Library available 24/7

Story Box Library is a great streaming service for kids. This is an Australian product created for children to view stories by local authors and illustrators, being read aloud by fantastic, predominantly Australian and New Zealand, storytellers. Free access using your library card number. No password required. More information is available on the library website at https://grenfellpubliclibrary.org.au/elibrary/

Upcoming events

Aug

Thurs 5 Free author talk: Kyle Perry at 6.30pm

Wed 11 Preschool Storytime at 10.30am

Wed 11 Junior Book Club at 5pm

Thurs 12 PJ Storytime at 7pm

Sat 14 Movie: Love, weddings & other disasters at 8pm

Thurs 19 Free author talk: Larissa Behrendt at 6.30pm

Fri 20 Book Week commences

Wed 25 Preschool Storytime at 10.30am

- ERICA KEARNES

Residents are advised that, in light of the recent movements of COVID-19 infected persons in the surrounding areas the Grenfell Community Hub will be closed to the public for a period of two weeks (from July 19, 2021).

This action has been taken as a precautionary measure; the health and safety of the local community is Council's top priority.

Council apologises for any inconvenience caused.

- WEDDIN SHIRE COUNCIL

At 11:59pm on 20 July 2021 a Stay-at-Home Order was issued to all people who have been in the Orange City Council, Blayney Shire Council and/or Cabonne Shire Council local government areas during the period 17/07/2022 - 20/07/2022.

The Order is and will be in force from 12:01am Wednesday 21 July 2021 until 12:01am Wednesday 28 July 2021.

Weddin Shire Council is urging anyone who has visited the above areas, or who has been in contact with someone who has, to stay at home and get tested for COIVD-19 as soon as practicable.

Further information is available at www.health.nsw.gov.au.

- WEDDIN SHIRE COUNCIL

Chief Executive of the Western NSW Local Health District, Scott McLachlan is urging local residents not to call their local hospital to make an appointment to be vaccinated for COVID-19.

"Your hospital can help with all sorts of advice but they cannot make a COVID-19 vaccination appointment for you," Mr McLachlan said.

"The Federal Government's COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility Checker is online and it will step you through a few questions to sort out which phase you're eligible for vaccination in.

"If you're eligible to be vaccinated it will then guide you through the process of making a booking."

Mr McLachlan said that though he is glad there is a lot of interest in people wanting to get vaccinated it is important locals use the checker to proceed.

"We know a lot of people are very eager to get their vaccination underway, but using the Eligibility Checker is the right way to do it," he said.

"Our hospital switch boards are taking dozens of calls a day, and we need our switch operators available to take calls on a whole range of clinical matters."

Those who don't have access to the internet can also call HealthDirect for assistance Ph: 1800 022 222.

Residents are hereby advised that due to extenuating circumstances the next Ordinary Council Meeting will be held on Thursday 29 July 2021 commencing at 5:00pm.

Council apologises for any inconvenience caused.

- WEDDIN SHIRE COUNCIL

There have been no new cases Covid-19 identified in our Local Health District.

There is currently one active case of Covid-19 in our LHD. That case is located in the Cabonne LGA.

As a result of contact tracing and other investigations we currently have six venues of concern in our LHD; five in Orange and one at Bathurst. All venues of transmission or concern are listed on the NSW Health website.

Over 900 Covid-19 tests were performed at drive-through services in Parkes, Blayney, Molong, Orange and Bathurst. More than 10,600 tests have been performed in Orange, Blayney and Cabonne LGAs.