What’s on this month at your library 👀📚

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Hello library member,

Welcome to the November edition of your monthly eNews from Moonee Valley Libraries.

News

Festive food and toy drive

This festive season, Moonee Valley Libraries is partnering with Helping Hands to bring a little extra joy to local families by collecting Christmas treats, pantry essentials and brand new toys.

Food donation ideas include:

Christmas puddings
Biscuits, cookies and shortbread
Bon bons
Candy canes

Toy donation ideas include:

Soft toys and dolls
Lego and building blocks
Craft kits and drawing tools
Cards and board games

Toys must be brand new in original packaging, and suitable for children up to 12 years of age. No need to gift wrap.

These donations will be distributed through the Helping Hands Christmas Cave in early December. The Christmas Cave provides parents experiencing financial hardship with the opportunity to choose a special gift they know their child will love, helping make Christmas a little brighter for families in need.

Donations can be made at all Moonee Valley Libraries branches between Monday 2 November and Friday 4 December.

More info

Extra Access during upcoming public holidays

Upgrade your membership this November and enjoy Extra Access to Ascot Vale and Avondale Heights Libraries throughout the Christmas and New Year public holidays. Simply attend an induction session to unlock self-service access beyond staffed hours.

Once upgraded, you can visit Ascot Vale and Avondale Heights Libraries in the evenings, on Sundays, and on public holidays, giving you more time to fit the library into your life. During these extended hours, you can use Wi‑Fi, public computers, printing and scanning facilities, borrow items and collect your holds, all in safe, climate-controlled spaces.

Extra Access website

National Recycling Week reading list

Explore how we can reduce waste, reuse what we have and rethink our relationship with the things we consume. From upcycling and sustainable living to degrowth and the circular economy, these nonfiction reads offer fresh perspectives and practical ideas for a more sustainable future. Browse the full list of titles on our website.

Plastic Inc. : big oil, big money and the plan to trash our future

Slow down or die: the economics of degrowth

Waste Wars: dirty deals, international rivalries and the sca

Interested in other practical ways to reduce waste?

Take part in our children's clothing swap happening Wednesday 28 October from 10am at Sam Merrifield Library, or check out Incinerator Gallery’s Waste to Wow event on Saturday 14 Novemember at 11am, for more ideas on reusing and repurposing what you already have.

What's On: Adults

Services Australia: Understanding your Centrelink payments when you travel

Planning a trip overseas and wondering how it might affect your Centrelink payments? Come along to a free Services Australia session to learn what you need to know about travelling while receiving payments. Ask questions, get helpful information and feel more prepared before you travel. Bookings required.

Niddrie Library
Thursday 5 November, 10.30am– 12pm

Bookings

Centrelink Q&As

Got questions about Centrelink, Aged Care, or myGov? Book a free 30-minute, one-on-one session at one of our library branches with a Services Australia expert who can answer your questions, provide personalised support and help point you in the right direction. Bookings required. Click the link to see all dates.

View sessions

Draught proofing your home for summer

Discover simple, DIY techniques to block those sneaky gaps around windows and doors in this workshop. Stay cool, cut energy bills, and make a positive impact on the planet. Delivered by thermal efficiency experts Sapien, in partnership with Council Sustainability’s Let’s Go Zero initiative. Bookings required.

Flemington Library

Monday 9 November, 6pm–7.30pm

Bookings

Declutter and organise your home

This hands-on workshop is packed with smart, practical tips to declutter and create beautifully functional spaces. Discover simple organisation strategies, get inspired by real before-and-after examples, and take home helpful resources to keep the momentum going. Bookings required.

Niddrie Library

Tuesday 17 November, 6.30pm–7.30pm

Bookings

Parental controls for devices

This session will help you navigate and understand the parental control options built into common devices such as iPads and gaming consoles and help you feel reassured and confident about your child’s tech use. Bookings required.

Ascot Vale Library

Saturday 28 November, 11.30am–12.30pm

Bookings

Film screenings at the library

Enjoy free film screenings at the library this November, featuring the moving Shakespeare-inspired Hamnet (2026), the charming French comedy-drama Holy Cow (2025), and the cult classic murder mystery comedy Clue (1985). Bookings required.

View sessions

Did you know we have a Community Heritage collection?

Moonee Valley Libraries holds an extensive collection of materials documenting the history and development of our local area. Covering local government, geography, sporting heritage and local media, the collection preserves valuable historical records that tell the story of Moonee Valley. Browse our catalogue and visit the Ascot Vale Library to explore this collection and discover the stories behind our community.

Catch up on newspapers and magazines from around the world online with PressReader. Read daily local titles including The Herald Sun, The Age and The Australian Financial Review, alongside thousands of international publications covering news, current affairs, food, travel, and lifestyle, all for free with your Moonee Valley Libraries membership.

Visit PressReader

News from Moonee Valley City Council

Create a ceramic public artwork with artists Olivia Chin & Nina Nervegna

Help create a permanent ceramic artwork for the Ascot Vale Library courtyard in this free three-part workshop series.

Explore clay, mark-making, words and ideas as you contribute to a large-scale ceramic tile façade. No art or ceramics experience needed, and you can attend one, two or all three workshops.

Incinerator Gallery
Saturday 28 November, 12pm–7.30pm

Bookings for the February 2027 workshops will open in early January.

More details

Remembrance Day in Moonee Valley

Remembrance Day is a time to honour those who have served our country and to pay our respects to fallen and returned soldiers.

Moonee Valley City Council, in conjunction with the Essendon RSL Sub-branch, invites the community to a commemoration ceremony at the Cenotaph in Queen’s Park, Moonee Ponds, on Wednesday 11 November at 10.30am. Refreshments will follow in Council chambers at the Civic Centre on Kellaway Avenue, opposite Queens Park. 

More details

Save the date: Santa Claus is coming to town

Join us on Saturday 5 December for a merry evening of Christmas market stalls, food trucks, kids' activities and, for the first time, a chance to meet Santa and get a photo!

Bobby Fox returns to host, with Justine Clarke joining the fun and performing original songs. Plus, enjoy performances from the Moonee Valley Brass Band, Moonee Valley Christmas Choir and more.

More details

Judy, Liza, Barbra, Bette. These Are Names I Shan’t Forget with Vincent Hooper

Experience a glamorous and witty tribute to the women who defined 'diva-dom': Judy Garland, Liza Minnelli, Barbra Streisand, and Bette Midler. Featuring iconic songs and hidden gems from each, it's heartfelt, hilarious, and full of sparkle.

Clocktower Centre
Tuesday 10 November, 10am

Tickets

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Moonee Valley City Council respectfully acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which Moonee Valley is located – the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung People of the Kulin Nation; and we pay respect to their Spirits, Ancestors, Elders and their Community members past and present. Council also extends this respect to other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples who call Moonee Valley home.

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Moonee Valley Libraries
483 Keilor Road Niddrie Victoria Australia 3042
Phone: +61 3 9243 1900