Woollahra Council Libraries

Woollahra Libraries provide public library services that include lending of books and other media, public computer access, room bookings for meetings or study, printing and scanning facilities, and the processing of fines for overdue items. They serve residents of the Woollahra local government area in New South Wales, Australia. As part of Woollahra Council, they operate under the municipal authority's cultural and community services portfolio. Their services are designed to support education, information access, and community engagement.

They are a public library service integrated with local government, offering digital services such as online booking and fine payment through a third‑party software platform. The 2023 cyber incident highlighted their reliance on external vendors for managing user data and transaction processing. Their response involved coordination with the Australian Cyber Security Centre, Cyber Security NSW and a forensic firm, demonstrating a commitment to incident management and user protection. The breach prompted the software provider to patch the exploited vulnerability, reflecting a collaborative approach to security remediation.

Woollahra Libraries operate as a division of Woollahra Council, which is the local governing body for the Woollahra municipality in New South Wales. They are not a separate legal entity but a service unit within the council's organisational structure. Funding and oversight derive from the council's budget and administrative framework. This arrangement aligns them with other municipal library services across Australia that are administered by local councils.

In December 2023, a cyberattack on a third‑party software system used by the libraries compromised personal information of users, including names, addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, partial credit card details and encrypted passwords for booking systems. The breach affected individuals who had used library computers, room bookings, printing, scanning or fine payment services. Woollahra Council engaged the Australian Cyber Security Centre, Cyber Security NSW and a forensic firm to investigate the incident while the software provider implemented a fix for the exploited vulnerability. Affected users were notified of the breach, although the total number of impacted individuals has not been publicly disclosed.