Accessibility across our regional libraries

Published on 29 June 2026

Readers across the Goondiwindi Region now have access to expanded dyslexia-friendly and multilingual collections, helping to make local libraries more accessible and inclusive for people of all ages, backgrounds and reading abilities.

The dyslexia friendly collection forms part of Council’s commitment to creating inclusive and welcoming library spaces, while improving access to reading materials that support people with dyslexia and other reading challenges.

Goondiwindi Regional Council’s Community Facilities and Rural Services portfolio holder, Cr Susie Kelly, said the expanding collection was about ensuring more people in the community could enjoy reading with confidence.

“Libraries should be spaces where everyone feels comfortable and supported, regardless of their reading preferences,” Cr Kelly said.

“This collection is helping remove some of the barriers people can face when reading, while also encouraging a lifelong love of books and learning.”

Dyslexia friendly books are specifically designed to improve readability through features such as specialised fonts, increased spacing between letters and lines, and clear layouts that reduce visual crowding and reading fatigue.

The collection includes a range of junior fiction and adult titles, along with a Language Other Than English (LOTE) section to support the region’s diverse community. Languages currently available include Afrikaans, Chinese, German, Nepali, Punjabi, Sinhalese, Urdu, Korean, Tagalog/Filipino and Tamil.

Cr Kelly said local census data was used to guide the initial selection of languages for the collection, ensuring the resources reflected the needs and diversity of the local community.

“This is a practical example of how Census participation helps shape local services, with community data playing an important role in informing future programs, resources and planning decisions.”

“We want people to know they can speak with library staff if there’s a particular title or type of book they would like to see stocked,” she said. “Sometimes all it takes is access to the right format for someone to rediscover the joy of reading.”

Residents can visit their local library branch in either Inglewood, Texas and Goondiwindi to explore the dyslexia friendly collection or speak with staff about available titles and additional language resources.