Hundreds of curious bookworms wiggled through the doors of Warrnambool's new library today to gawk at a $22.25 million structure four times the size of its predecessor.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The city's new community hub and learning centre was officially unveiled today but plenty of residents have already explored its maze-like nooks and amenities.
In fact in its first week of operations, more than 5000 visitors have wandered through - that's around four times the usual monthly visitation rate.
Those visitors have also borrowed twice as many items in one week than library staff would see across any seven-day period.
IN OTHER NEWS
- Woman forced to sleep rough after 200 unsuccessful rental applications
- $19m rollout of Salvation Army social housing projects in Warrnambool
- Residents urged to remain alert ahead of predicted rainfall
- Help available for family members of people battling addiction
- Tracey Scott competes in first karate tournament
South West TAFE chief executive officer Mark Fidge was thrilled.
"It's fantastic to see so many ages coming in to use the new library," he said.
"It's an exciting concept - there's nothing else like it. It's a model that's being considered elsewhere and it's a unique concept that I think is really exciting for our region.
"It's certainly a place where people can learn, read, congregate and communicate. It's a very modern building where people can just come along and enjoy a coffee. We hope as a TAFE it ultimately helps the educational standards and aspirations of our community.
"We've created this education precinct that's a community asset. We want people to come and enjoy learning, raising their opportunities and life and it's great to have like-minded organisations on-site like Standing Tall, Let's Talk and a range of others where it effectively comes a place where people gather.
"It's not just a library, it's what's around it. You can get skills and course advice but when you go outside what is the campus and precinct around here, you've got Brophy, WRAD, the art gallery across the road - this area is a really exciting concept or hub which is unique and provides a one-stop shop when it comes to skills and jobs and social gathering.
"That's what's driven it right from the start - creating something that will actually help this region and the community in it. It's an amazing building but also an amazing precinct we've got right on our doorstep."
In total, the construction period took 16 months and was led by Nicholson Construction and Kosloff architects.
The business cases, however, were written 10-11 years ago.
Nobody was more excited to see it complete than Warrnambool's eight-year-old Maeve Lindsay.
"I love it and it's just great," she said.
"I like all of it - I like all the little nooks like these.
"My favourite are choose-your-own adventure books. I've borrowed a tonne. My favourite are the Hilda books."
Now just one tap with our new app: Digital subscribers now have the convenience of faster news, right at your fingertips with The Standard:
