Shire of Augusta Margaret River libraries have joined the campaign for improved online safety by completing an eSmart accreditation over the course of a year.
eSmart is an initiative of Telstra and the Alannah and Madeline Foundation aimed at encouraging participation online while protecting vulnerable community members from potential online threat such as cyber bullying, scams, fraud, exposure to predators and inappropriate content.
Shire Library Technician Jodie Porter said achieving accreditation was a real achievement for the library team.
“The goal of the initiative is to arm local community members with the skills they need for smart, safe and responsible use of technology,” she said.
“Over the past year this has included assessing and improving all our procedures around digital safety to promote, and provide for, respectful and safe online participation.
“We updated our Code of Conduct to include digital behaviour, to ensuring that our patrons have access to information about scams, online bullying and privacy.
“We’ve also added a simple link to our website so that anybody can find their way to the eSmart resources page and learn new digital skills, or find out how to keep themselves and their families safe online.
‘We invite all our community to visit the Library Services Online Resource page on the Shire website, and click on the eSmart link.
“There is information that is suitable for different ages and situations, and we feel sure that it will be of benefit to anyone with questions about digital participation and safety.”
The eSmart Library project will be ongoing, with further changes made as necessary to reflect the rapidly changing digital environment.
Library staff are always happy to assist the community if anybody needs help accessing digital safety information.
