NARELLE COULTER
DANDENONG’S new library has already proved to be a best seller with more than 35,000 people flooding through the front door in the first fortnight after it opened to the public.
Library services senior co-ordinator Natalie Brown said the library team had settled well into the new library and had enjoyed showing patrons some of the library’s new features.
“Patrons have been delighted to have more space to sit, read, study and use wi-fi as well as access a PC more easily,” Ms Brown said.
“Patrons love the space for children and families to sit and read in the children’s library. The discovery bar, where new technology is on display, multi-media booths and games area have also been popular.
“Staff are available to show patrons around the new library and help people get accustomed to the new spaces.”
In the first week, 17,391 people visited the library and staff were kept busy signing up 320 new members.
The trend continued in the second week with 17,846 visitors and 358 new members.
The new library is set over two levels of the new civic centre, a space of almost 2000 square metres or nearly double the old Stuart Street library’s 1100 square metres.
More than 1487 lineal metres of new shelving house the library’s collection of 58,000 books and magazines, 12,000 DVDs, Blu-ray disks and CDs.
The ground level houses the wonderful children’s corner, with low shelving, little tables and chairs, and a modern amphitheatre where children and parents can cuddle up for a story, enjoy story time sessions or a school holiday performance.
There are also banks of computers available for public use, alcoves for quiet reading and gaming booths for indiviual or group gaming.
The high tech discovery bar gives patrons a unique opportunity to “play” with the latest technology including iPads, Samsung Tab 3 tablets and Mac Book Pros.
Upstairs is the fiction and non-fiction collections, quiet spaces for study as well as computer training rooms and spaces for community gatherings.
The new library has radio frequency identification self-checkers, so patrons can check out their own material.
The library is open Monday to Friday, 9am-9pm; Saturday, 10am-5pm and Sunday, noon-5pm. Membership is free. For more information, phone 1300 630 920.
