Councillor gets sneak preview of library's new Mobile Learning Centre

Onno van Raalte, left, and Karen Hunt check out the Rotorua Library's new digital mobile learning centre today. Photo/Supplied

Rotorua Library's new digital Mobile Learning Centre will soon hit the road.

The Mobile Learning Centre, a Mercedes Sprinter van, is fitted with digital equipment and will be used as part of the library's mobile services.

Rotorua district councillor Karen Hunt got a sneak preview today and was thrilled with the new mobile centre.

"This truly has taken our library into the 21st Century," she said.

"I can't wait to see the trajectory this van takes and the excitement that I know is already out there in the community can only grow and get stronger. This is a great plus for our city and for our library"

The Mobile Learning Centre is equipped with numerous forms of technology including laptops, tablets and a Wi-Fi hotspot. It will deliver existing services and programmes such as eLibrary education sessions and Stepping Up classes in the community and may enable new services to be introduced in future.

The mobile centre will be officially launched in July.

Purchase of the van was made possible by a donation from the Friends of the Rotorua Library. The group support the library and help acquire additional library resources through fundraising.

"We simply couldn't have made this happen without the support of the Friends of the Library who spend a great deal of their time selflessly raising money for their library," library director Jane Gilbert said.

Friends of the Library president Onno van Raalte was also present to check out the Mobile Learning Centre today.

"The library is stepping up to a new level and the Friends of the Library are very happy to help" Mr van Raalte said.

The van was previously owned and fitted out by Noel Leeming which used it as a mobile classroom to introduce new ways of using technology to enhance learning. As that project came to an end, Rotorua Library was reviewing its outreach services and was keen to take more of its digital services out into the community.

The van will operate in addition to the library's Mobile Library bus which delivers books throughout the district.

During the next couple of months the public may see the van out and about as Rotorua Library trials new initiatives and meets with groups in the community. Anyone interested in being part of the Rotorua Library Mobile Learning Centre experience following its official launch in July this year can contact the library.