In conjunction with Legal Aid NSW, Yass Valley Library will be hosting a live webinar for Law Week this year, commencing on the 18th of May at 12 pm for one hour, with follow-ups on the 16th, 18th and 19th, flowing throughout the week with different days featuring different webinars, hoping to address multiple subjects and provide legal support surrounding them. Library coordinator Erica Kearnes discusses the subjects that will be presented and the benefits to the Yass community.
The event, which is set to span across multiple NSW state libraries, will offer free sessions, with those interested advised to check out Eventbrite online and book using mobile e-tickets to avoid missing it, and so that both the library and providers are aware of the turnout.
Each subject will be granted a session day throughout the business week, excluding Wednesday when the library will be closed for training purposes. Monday will kick off with a webinar on scams and the law, with Tuesday following with renting, Thursday with employment, and then last but not least, Friday with debt.
On the range of subjects, Erica Kearnes cited the variety and topics as a keen interest and motivator behind the event.
“There’s some great variety and great topics, that’s why we jumped for it so quickly, we just thought oh, so good,” she said.
Erica feels that such activities and events hosted by the library assist in broadening the library’s appeal and use to more people, helping them in times of need and with advice.
“The variety brings a variety of people from the community,” she explained.
“It’s not just books anymore, we do all kinds of events now, from storytime for kids to law week webinars. We’ve got to cater to everyone.
“Providing different services keeps the community interested in the library,” said Erica
The library will have access to information brochures, so as well as attendees’ own notes and the webinars themselves, brochures will assist in directing people to the appropriate services. In a pre-lockdown world, these events were typically live and in person, with Legal-Aid staff often deployed to host events, however, Erica feels that the webinars will make them more accessible, with more people able to join and see, pushing the limit from a room-sized group to potentially hundreds, and is hopeful that the webinar service will reach those in need.
Griffin Palen