SHIRE MAYOR ENVISAGES ‘TOWN SQUARE’ ATMOSPHERE AT NEW LIBRARY LOCALE
RELOCATING the Scone Library to the former Upper Hunter Shire Council administration building might create a dynamic civic precinct or ‘town square’ as well as substantially improving what is on offer at the local library.
That was the message from Upper Hunter Shire Mayor Cr Lee Watts, who spoke at a function at the library on Tuesday night, while welcoming author Sharyn Munro at an informal event organised by local business Hunt a Book and the Upper Hunter Regional Library Service.
Cr Watts noted it was the first partnership between the progressive bookshop and the library and said she hoped there would be further similar partnerships.
Cr Watts said Council had applied for State Government funding to renovate and redesign part of the old administration building to a modern facility that would prove to be a showcase library.
The Upper Hunter Shire Council has a significant ongoing commitment to libraries — with plans to relocate this library to a venue that will enable a wide range of improvements, such as a separate area for teens and more room to display stock properly,” Cr Watts told guests.
Council has recently renovated the libraries at Murrurundi and Cassilis and work has been undertaken at Aberdeen library to stabilize the building,” she added.
Our aim is to help keep libraries in our Shire contemporary, current and relevant to all residents — we are proud that our libraries offer a diverse range of services – book clubs, children’s school holiday activities, family day care group gatherings, to name a few. The Scone library is in fact the busiest library in the Shire,” Cr Watts said.
Cr Watts said the outcome of the funding application would be known by March next year and if successful, Council would begin work on the renovation in April with the newly-designed library open by September.
Council looks forward to supporting the library to offer even better services with a relocation — where it will be a dynamic part of a civic precinct in the heart of the Horse Capital,” Cr Watts said.
Cr Watts said a recent UHRLS survey showed community members wanted more space, parking and easier access to resources.
A wide range of activities take place at the library but it is often cramped and if there is a special event at the library, regular library users have problems accessing what they need,” Cr Watts said.
Relocation would result in a more spacious facility with updated technologies for all community members to benefit – more space would allow shelving to be lower, and easier access to the audio visual collection,” she added.
An important element of the proposal was providing an enticing space for teens to choose books from a young adult collection, listen to music, and relax in comfortable furniture such as beanbags.
A particular focus for the proposed new library will be to encourage greater participation by teens.
Cr Watts said plans incorporated baby change facilities and a quiet space for parent activities such as breast feeding, as well as providing a suitable space to host community workshops in a welcoming environment.
With the new administration centre located diagonally opposite the proposed library, a town square atmosphere would be created that is ideal for visitors as well as residents.”
