Head Librarian Frances O'Brien is having a hellish time of it. Not only must the library turn a profit in order to stay open, but Frances's detestable mother Pearl comes to live with her.

Frances needs to sell Pearl's house fast in order to pay for Pearl's accommodation at Gentle Pines nursing home. Meanwhile Xavier Fisher threatens staff cuts at Middleton Interactive.

Frances (Robyn Butler) meets Indigo (Celia Pacquola) the ‘new age’ real estate agent who is going to sell Pearl’s (Victoria Eagger) house. Back at the library, Christine (Roz Hammond) sets up a major fundraising initiative that promises to make a lot of money. After another discouraging rejection letter for his novel, Matthew (Stephen Ballantyne) gets encouragement from Dawn (Heidi Arena) to start writing DVD reviews instead. With his old band mates Biscuit (Justin Hamilton), Bingo (Tony Moclair) and Skunk (Craig Pilkington) on board, Terry is reliving his youth, playing with his old band - Oils Ain’t Oils… in the garage. Much to Frances’s relief, Indigo sells Pearl’s house, but celebrations are cut short when the mystery contents of the shipping container parked in Pearl’s front yard are revealed.

Pearl’s (Victoria Eagger) nursing home, Gentle Pines, is hounding Frances (Robyn Butler) for payment, money Frances doesn’t have. But if she doesn’t pay up, Pearl will end up living at the O’Brien house. Terry (Wayne Hope) desperately seeks a buyer for the tonnes of tuna stocked up in their garage. Back at the library, Neil (Bob Franklin) gives Matthew (Stephen Ballantyne) some writing tips for his DVD reviews ‘Matthew Recommends’ and Frances is shocked when Dawn (Heidi Arena) hands in her resignation.

Frances’s (Robyn Butler) worst nightmare has come true... she’s once again living under the same roof as her mother. With the tuna for sale on ebay, Frances hopes it won’t be long before they can afford to send chain-smoking Pearl (Victoria Eagger) back to Gentle Pines. In the meantime, Terry (Wayne Hope) is charged with keeping an eye on her during the day. Since giving up breastfeeding, Christine (Roz Hammond) has trouble controlling her eating. Still feeling guilty about Ky’s (Keith Brockett) accident, Dawn (Heidi Arena) starts fundraising for stem cell research in the hope of being able to walk again one day. Nada (Nicole Nabout) finds her personal details posted on an online Muslim dating service and Xavier Fisher (Angus Sampson) pays an unexpected visit to the library.

Frances and Christine are both caught trying to steal fundraising money, meanwhile Nada is visited by another potential suitor, the mysterious Jaffar Abassi. CAST: Robyn Butler, Wayne Hope

The library is a hub of activity for Senior Citizens Day. Ky (Keith Brockett) is busy conducting video interviews for an oral history project and Christine (Roz Hammond) is manning the Devonshire tea stand. With the tour-guide waylaid, Neil (Bob Franklin) steps in to lead a group of seniors on a historical walk of Middleton. To Frances’s (Robyn Butler) shock, Terry (Wayne Hope) arrives with Pearl (Victoria Eagger). But the day gets progressively worse as Frances learns that Showbiz Video is in liquidation when the receivers turn up to seize all assets.

The fundraising thermometer has hit rock bottom and government bureaucrat Xavier Fisher orders immediate cutbacks. Frances is determined to make a stand and save her staff. CAST: Robyn Butler, Wayne Hope