We owe you a huge debt of gratitude.

Thank you, also, for your understanding while we were closed.

Please let us know of any lost or damaged library items due to the fire crisis and we will understand.

This will be the last Library News of the year, so I'm adding a further thank you to all of you for your support of MidCoast Libraries.

This year our staff welcomed over 390,000 visitors and we purchased nearly 16,000 items.

You borrowed nearly 100,000 DVDs and over 200,000 books and attended over 1000 events.

Dark Emu was the most popular book reserve but we are a pack of gossips and Who magazine had the most reserves of all.

We also integrated our library collections enabling any library member to use their library card at any of our locations and reserve and borrow items from every branch.

It was a huge undertaking and a credit to all staff.

We refurbished Nabiac library; installed a meeting room at Tea Gardens library and are currently making good progress on the new library planned for Forster.

In the lead-up to Christmas we're running our very successful Summer Reading Club.

Registrations open Thursday, November 28 and close Friday, January 10.

We will have new and exciting challenges to keep the children entertained and reading over the break.

The January Holiday Program will launch on Thursday, November 28 so book your spots now.

All our branches will be shut over the Christmas to new year period, starting at 2pm on Tuesday, December 24, re-opening on Monday, January 6 or the first regular open day in that week.

No items will be due during this period.

You can return items to any of the branches if you'd like to.

Before this break you'll still have a chance to be part of some great events for adults.

Taree library is hosting a Food Smart workshop on Saturday, November 30.

Debut novelist, Christine Sykes, will be talking about her novel, The Changing Room at Tea Gardens library on Monday, December 2, Forster library on Tuesday, December 3 and Taree library on Wednesday, December 4.

Tea Gardens library will be hosting its ever-popular First Friday Flicks movie on Friday, December 6 and the Kanopy Film Club movie will screen at Taree library on Wednesday, December 18.

Congratulations to Nabiac library as the winner of the PuzzleOff Trophy for 2019.

They completed the Slow Puzzle well ahead of the rest of the libraries. Hallidays Point library vow to be back next year.

Remember our free film streaming service, Kanopy, with over 30,000 films to watch, it could be a real life-saver over the holidays.

This service will be available during the closure period, along with our very popular eBook and eAudio, through the Borrowbox collection and magazines from RB Digital.

Check out our library website www.midcoastlibraries.com.au to find out more, or speak to any of our friendly staff.

See you in the library.

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