A lick of paint for Linton library

LINTON Historical Society members have reached another goal in their broader library restoration project.

The society has been granted almost $19,700 from the State Government’s regional Living Local fund to complete exterior painting and weatherboard repairs.

President Jill Wheeler said the group is grateful to have received every cent they applied for to rejuvenate the building in heritage colours; cream with brown highlights.

“The Linton Library has been deteriorating for many years, so to get a grant of this calibre is fantastic because we can really do something with it,” she said.

“A local painter, and his brother-in-law who is a carpenter, are going to repair and repaint the exterior of it in 2023.”

The back of the building has been restumped, and society members are aiming to have chimney restoration works complete next year within the living quarters. The exterior works will follow.

“The idea is to have the library as a museum because it’s pretty intact,” Ms Wheeler said.

“We’ll get the living quarters back as it was and show what life would have been like for the librarian, or caretaker, who lived there with no running water, and five children.

“We’ve got members currently cataloguing the books on the shelves, and they’ll be in place.”

The restoration project at Linton Library has been ongoing for nine years, starting with the writing of a conservation management plan from 2013 to 2014.

“This is something we will continue to chip away at, but we have needed large Shire, State and Federal grants to do it,” Ms Wheeler said.