About WRL

Our Libraries

Find out opening hours, location and more at our branch libraries: Griffith City Library, Carrathool Shire Library, Jerilderie Library, Narrandera Library, Hay Library & Griffith / Murrumbidgee Mobile Library.

What is WRL?

Western Riverina Libraries (WRL) is a collaboration between five local governments to share resources and technical services to provide a library service which is current, efficient and valued.

Located in the south-west of New South Wales this regional library service provides five branch libraries and two mobile libraries serving a combined population of approximately 41,603 in an area of 42,895 square kilometres. The region is predominantly agricultural and is approximately 600 kilometres from Sydney.

The members of Western Riverina Libraries are Carrathool, Griffith, Hay, Murrumbidgee and Narrandera. Western Riverina Libraries is administered by Griffith City Council.

Mission Statement

Our library provides a dynamic service to a large regional network. Our service strives to be accessible to all and to meet the informational and passive recreational needs of the community.

Funding

Member Councils of Western Riverina Libraries fund approximately 93% of their library’s expenditure through local government revenue, with the balance funded via a subsidy from the New South Wales state government.

History

Western Riverina Libraries was originally formed in 1971 as a partnership between Murrumbidgee Shire Council, Jerilderie Shire Council and Griffith City Council, then known as Wade Shire Council, with a view to providing a mobile library to service rural areas and small towns.
In the ensuing years Carrathool Shire, Narrandera Shire and Hay Shire joined the service which was then known as Western Riverina Community Library. The current name and branding was adopted in 2009.