Merredin Regional Library

Lego Club at Merredin Library

Calling all budding Lego engineers. The next Lego Club is on at 3:30pm today (Monday 25 May) at the Merredin library.

Bring your imagination and your building skills. Everyone from 5 years to 14 years welcome, though if you are under 10 you might want to bring along an adult to help.

See you later!

𝑻𝒖𝒆𝒔𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝑻𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒔

It is striking how much our living standards have shifted. Have you noticed how houses keep expanding even as the blocks they sit on shrink? We’ve gone from simple shelters to requiring an ensuite for every bedroom, plus dedicated spaces for theaters, gyms, and more.

Life was undoubtedly simpler, and significantly tougher, when homes looked like this. These photos, taken in 1914 at a bush camp near Merredin, offer a raw glimpse into that reality. One captures a mother and her children feeding a sow and her piglets, while the other shows a family outside their dwelling next to what appears to be a pigeon coop.

Image Credits:
𝑃ℎ𝑜𝑡𝑜𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑝ℎ𝑠 𝑠𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑑 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝐿𝑖𝑏𝑟𝑎𝑟𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑊𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑛 𝐴𝑢𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑎 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑀𝑒𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑛 𝑅𝑒𝑔𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝐿𝑖𝑏𝑟𝑎𝑟𝑦 𝑀𝑒𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑎𝑏𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑎 𝐶𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛. 𝑅𝑒𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑒𝑑 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑖𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐿𝑖𝑏𝑟𝑎𝑟𝑦 𝐵𝑜𝑎𝑟𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑊𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑛 𝐴𝑢𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑎.

𝑴𝒐𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝑴𝒆𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 📷

The way we work has certainly transformed over the years. We have moved from purely manual labor to being assisted by machines, and now we face a future where AI and robots might do the work for us entirely.

Can you imagine when road sealing was done like this? It must have been incredibly hot and grueling work.

Can anyone guess what year this photo was taken?

𝑭𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝑭𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒔 📷

Did you ever use this torture device? It was a staple in most homes at one stage in the 1950’s or 1960’s. Variations are still in common use today – but much more user friendly, and you don’t have to stay within 10 feet of the power point!

Put your best guess on what it was used for in the comments. It did have a couple of uses – can you name both?

This item is just one of the many treasures held in the Merredin Library Memorabilia Collection. Why not stop by and see what else we have on display?

𝑻𝒖𝒆𝒔𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝑻𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒔 🔍

Think you can track the origins of this insulator? While modern versions are often made of composite polymers, there’s something undeniably classic about this vintage porcelain design. They just don't make them with this much character anymore!

This insulator is just one of the many hidden gems tucked away in the Merredin Library Memorabilia Collection. Come in and explore! See this piece up close and discover what else we have on display.

𝑭𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝑭𝒖𝒏 🔍

Do you think you know what this is? Could it be an abstract art piece of a three-legged walker? Or maybe a corner mold for a builder?

We want to hear your theories! Drop a comment below with your best guess, or feel free to get creative with wrong answers only!

This curious piece is part of the Merredin Library Memorabilia Collection. Our shelves are packed with fascinating local artifacts, each with its own story to tell - why not stop by and see what other treasures we have?

𝑩𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑷𝒂𝒔𝒕

Have you ever used one of these? They were essential equipment for underground workers in the early twentieth century.

Do you know what it is? Put your guesses in the comments below ⬇️

Contact staff at the Merredin Library to find out more, or come into the Library and check out what else is in our Memorabilia Collection.

ANZAC Day
"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them."

The Merredin Library will be closed on ANZAC Day, but we do have a display of books to commemorate all those who fought - everything from junior kindergarten books, to stories from our ANZAC's.

Thank you to Rosa Robartson for the loan of her wonderful quilt. It makes the display even more impressive. The display will be up all next week so if you miss it today, come in and see on Tuesday.

Coding Club Returns for Term 2

Staff at the Merredin Library will team up again with Creative Bytes for Term 2 and we have a new game for our Coding Club. Are you between 8 and 14 years of age? Would you like to learn how to code by making your own playable game using the programming language Scratch. We have a limit of 12 people, and 5 spots left, so be sure to put your name in fast.
The Coding Club will run from Thursday 30 April to Thursday 2 July and starting at about 3.30pm and finishing at about 5pm. As each week we will be adding new code to the game, it is important that you be able to attend most of the sessions.
If you don’t have your own laptop, let staff know. We might be able to help.

Lego Club at Merredin Library

The next Lego Club will be on Monday 20 April at 3.30pm - that's tonight.

Yes, it is early this month, because of the public holiday on Monday 27 April.

Lego Club is free for all from 5 to 14 years of age. If you are under 10 you might want to bring along a parent or older sibling – they can join in as well.

What will you use for inspiration?