Day 9 A Digital Hub #blog12daysxmas

With the roll out of the National Broadband Network (NBN) in part of Melbourne's north early this year, my branch is now set to become a digital hub.

The lead up and preparation to this has been just as exciting as the imminent start up will be.  One space in the library has been reconfigured to allow for banquette seating to be installed, along with a hot desk for people to sit at and use the super fast internet that we'll be connected to (I think the super fast internet is what is exciting me the most right now! :-) ). There will be video conferencing facilities, an eBook download station, surface table and collaborative workspaces. I have a couple of great pictures but for some reason Blogger won't give me a 'browse' option when uploading a picture.

I blogged earlier about the number of computer classes already being run in the branch and the Digital Hub will now provide more opportunities for access to computer training and expertise due to a grant from the Department of Broadband, Communication and the Digital Economy.

We've just hired an NBN Digital Hub Coordinator who will ensure that the Hub becomes a central location for the community to have opportunities for an interactive NBN experience.  The funding is for two years and during that time there will be a strong focus on digital literacy, especially in the areas of home, education, small business and health.