Online resources and activities during COVID-19

While the library branches are closed, you can access a wide range of services from home such as eBooks, kids activities and a brand new reservation delivery service.

Head to the Library at Home page for further information, and see below for some highlights.

The library branches may be temporarily closed, but Story Time will continue! A new Story Time Online will be uploaded to YouTube at 11am, every Monday to Friday.

Story Time Online is also offered in Vietnamese each week! Chào mừng bạn đến Thư Viện Maribyrnong nghe kể chuyện trên trực tuyến. Mỏi tuần video kể truyện sẽ được tải lên vào lúc 11 giờ sáng, thứ tư. Mời bạn đăng ký Story Time Online.

Maribyrnong Libraries have taken Baby Rhyme Time online. You can now watch a series of stories and songs for babies aged 0-2 years every Tuesday and Thursday at 2pm via YouTube.

While the community centres are closed due to COVID-19, they are offering a range of their regular programs and activities online.

View the list of programs that are currently on offer here, and check out some of the highlights below.

Join Razz online on Thursdays and Fridays for a rollicking ride through dance and percussion, perfect for children aged 0-4 years of age.

There will be four weekly Mini Chef sessions offered online, giving children an opportunity to learn to cook some wonderful recipes for all the family to enjoy. Sessions kick off on Thursday 7 May.

To engage with fellow young people throughout the municipality, Phoenix Youth Centre has launched Isolation Creations, a celebration of local young people and their amazing talents through a collection of videos featuring them performing, creating, skill sharing and moving.

The collection of videos include music performances to keep you entertained, dance tutorials to get you moving, and a series of ‘Self Love in Social Isolation’ videos from local artists Sami and Natana.

Check it out here.

Not all heroes colouring in sheet

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted just how essential our frontline workers are, and how hard they work to keep the community safe, healthy, informed, clean and fed. The pandemic has also highlighted gender disparities relating to frontline workers, their working conditions and their pay. For example, around 90% of Australia's nurses, 98% of our early childhood educators, 74% of our teachers and 75% of supermarket checkout staff are women and 94% of our rubbish collectors and 88% of train and bus drivers are men.

To say thank you and to express how much we value the vital work of all our frontline workers and to demonstrate our commitment to gender equality, we have developed some colouring in sheets, designed to challenge gender stereotypes relating to work, which is a key action in Council’s Towards Gender Equity 2030 strategy.

We’d like to invite children, young people and the young at heart to colour them in enter the draw to win a book prize! The books will we drawn from our Beyond Princesses and Pirates book collection, which lists children’s picture books from the Maribyrnong Library collection that challenge gender norms and stereotypes. The competition will be drawn on Thursday 16 July.

To enter, please send a photo of your completed colouring sheets to healthandwellbeing@maribyrnong.vic.gov.au

Download the nurse colouring in sheet(PDF, 550KB)

Download the garbage collector colouring in sheet(PDF, 1MB)

My Smart Garden

Sons of the West

Due to COVID-19, the 2020 Sons of the West (SOTW) program will be delivered online. This free, online program aims to improve the mental and physical wellbeing of men living, working or recreating in the City of Maribyrnong.

The program includes weekly webinars via 'Zoom' with guest speakers presenting on a different health topic, followed by an engaging small group discussion.

Register now

Life Fitness Digital Coach

Life Fitness, a partner of Maribyrnong Aquatic Centre, have a range of online workouts that can be completed at home. The Digital Coach workouts are free, however users will be required to register for an account.

Other resources

Active Maribyrnong has compiled a detailed list online resources to help you increase your physical activity levels during COVID-19, including Find Your 30, and Premier's Active April.

More info

Seniors Festival

This year, Seniors Festival is coming straight to your home through online performances, zoom recorded interviews and story-telling.

Until October, weekly video performances and interviews, and monthly radio entertainment will be shared on the Festival website.

To take part in the Festival, head to their website.

There are a number of museums and art galleries across the globe that are providing online and virtual experiences. This comprehensive list has plenty of options to keep you busy - some of the highlights include:

The Smithsonian

Take a self-guided tour of the National Museum of Natural History with their guided tours.

The Louvre

With a range of online tours, you can visit the museum's exhibition rooms and galleries without leaving the comfort of your own couch.

Yosemite National Park

Go on a virtual tour of California's Yosemite National Park, one of America's most popular natural environments.

The Guggenheim

Search through an online database of selected artworks from the Guggenheim's permanent collection.

The Tate

Each of the Tate's four galleries (the Britain and Modern in London, Tate Liverpool and Tate St Ives) have a series of kids resources, videos, podcasts and online classes available.

The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)

You can enjoy exhibition tours and learn about artworks via videos, Q&A's with curators, playlist and articles in MoMA's Virtual Views series.