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\u201cThere will be a beautiful, sweeping staircase up to the first floor, as a huge, inviting feature of the library. The first floor is also accessible by an upgraded lift.\u201d<\/p>\n
The upper level includes a large youth space which can be used for functions, meeting rooms, a computer lab, and a community maker space with 3D printers, sewing machines and more.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe spaces need to be flexible, multi-purpose, and used all hours of the day,\u201d Ms Fink said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want to make sure there\u2019s something for everyone… and when they walk past, it looks too interesting not to go in.\u201d<\/p>\n
Plenty of toilets, breastfeeding and changing spaces for parents and children are part of the design, alongside a gender-neutral bathroom, and a staff workroom with a 12-sorter radio frequency identification machine.<\/p>\n
Worth $7.48 million, the works are being funded with $6.98 million from the City, and $500,000 from the State Government.<\/p>\n
City of Ballarat mayor Cr Des Hudson said the \u201clibrary of the future\u201d is expected to attract 20 per cent more people daily than the old space.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith the transformation and expansion, we expect over 2000 visitors per day to come in and work from the space, read, borrow books, do research and homework projects, activities, go to functions, grab a coffee, or sit down and just socialise,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The project is on schedule, led by H Troon, and expected to be completed by the end of 2023, or early 2024.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
LOCAL and State government representatives were given a progress tour of the Ballarat Library construction site on Tuesday morning. Most internal demolition works are complete within the building which is retaining its original bones, but will have an expanded upper level, new purpose-built spaces, improved flow, and a new entrance opposite the Civic Hall. Library […]<\/p>\n