New library not just about books

THIRD place is how Jenny Fink describes the about to be opened and recently renovated Sebastopol Library Community Hub.

“Home is first place and work is second place, we call our library that third space, hopefully you will look at this as your own community living room,” said Ms Fink manager – learning and community hubs unit for the City of Ballarat.

From a mere 250sqm to a massive 1400sqm, the increase in size of the new library hub matches the enthusiasm of the community and staff.

The old library, in what was originally the Borough of Sebastopol Town Hall constructed in 1868, was a series of small rooms lined with wooden shelves that had been there since the 1950s and only open 15 hours a week.

Ms Fink believes the local community deserves this new fulltime library.

“They never complained about the old one, they just kept coming.”

“For all the social reasons that libraries are vital for the community, we really wanted to revitalise this part of Sebastopol.”

The library will bring people, hopefully that means businesses will follow and more life will come to this part of the Alfred Street precinct.

Sebastopol Library team leader Sally Pitman, who has been with the library for 15 years said, “A lot of people come to the library because it is a safe space where “they can meet other people [if they want to].”

“There is a number of retirement villages within walking distance or close by and we get a lot of retirees, who don’t just come to change their library books over, they come to use the technology. They come in for audio books and they use the library computers to download e-books”

The library will be running digital literacy programs as well as conversation cafes and morning teas.

The renovation includes a space in the centre of the library for people to make themselves free tea and coffee.

“For a lot of older people, it is a place to meet up with people if they are living alone,” said Ms Pitman.

Twenty-five per cent of the building is about collection, the rest is about space.

As the kid’s programs run by the library regularly have 50-60 children attending, the two new outside deck areas attached to the building, together with the redeveloped park next door, have created an outside play space that will be well utilised.

“We want the children to be able to run in and out,” said Ms Fink.

Funding of $2.2 million from the City of Ballarat together with a state government contribution of $600,000 delivered the redevelopment of the library, including connection and refurbishment of the Maternal and Child Health within the hub.

City of Ballarat Mayor Cr Samantha McIntosh said, “What we now see is an area that has been opened up and built to provide today’s requirements of a library space that will appeal to the Sebastopol community and accessibility for families to the Maternal and Child Health Centre.”

The new Sebastopol Library and Community Hub will open from Wednesday, 2 January. Operating hours will be Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 5pm and 9.30am-12pm on Saturdays.