31 local councils will receive grants to improve public library buildings, spaces and information technology for NSW communities.
The NSW Government has announced $4 million in funding for public libraries across the state as part of the Public Library Infrastructure Grant program.
Minister for the Arts Don Harwin said 31 local councils will receive grants for projects this year, providing significant public benefit and improving public library buildings, spaces and information technology for NSW communities.
“The Berejiklian Government is proud to be supporting public libraries and the important work they do in our communities through these grants. This funding allocation brings NSW Government support for public libraries in 2016/17 to $28.3 million,” Mr Harwin said.
“I am particularly pleased that 28 grants will be going to rural councils to assist them to meet the needs of their growing populations.”
Acting NSW State Librarian & Chief Executive Lucy Milne is delighted that the funds will have will assist councils to develop new or improve existing library buildings, as well as implement crucial IT infrastructure upgrades.
“These funds have been directed to projects which will develop and improve public library services for the people of NSW,” Ms Milne said.
“The State Library is a proud supporter of public libraries through its responsibilities under the Library Act 1939, and we are pleased to see that public libraries are highly valued community spaces, with over 35 million visits last year.”
The Public Library Infrastructure Grants program is administered by the State Library of NSW on behalf of the Library Council of NSW.
All NSW councils were invited to apply for the grants.
Some of the highlights of the round of funding include $200,000 to Kiama Municipal Council towards the Gerringong Library Museum and Community Facility project and $147,000 to Waverley Council towards ‘L.O.V.E. is in the air – Eastern Beaches Library outreach vehicle takes the library to the people’.
A full list of funding recipients is below:
- Broken Hill City Council, $200,000, towards Charles Rasp Memorial Library Relocation
- Canterbury-Bankstown Council, $200,000, towards Riverwood Library
- Carrathool Shire Council, $46,002, towards RFID implementation for Carrathool Shire Library
- Central Coast Council, $188,429, towards Spike Milligan Exhibition Space at Woy Woy Library
- Cessnock City Council, $200,000, towards Elevating Cessnock Library
- Coffs Harbour City Council, $52,945, towards Woolgoolga Library Refurbishment
- Coonamble Shire Council, $31,200, towards Open spaces
- Cumberland Council, $193,413, towards Streamlined RFID services across newly amalgamated Libraries in Cumberland Council
- Dubbo Regional Council, $95,400, towards RFID for MRL
- Fairfield City Council, $200,000, towards Studio-2166: A Creative Space for the Whitlam Library
- Gilgandra Shire Council, $78,677, towards Rural Opportunities – Break the Barriers
- Glen Innes Severn Council, $63,734, towards Radio Frequency Identification
- Griffith City Council, $150,000, towards Multipurpose Function Centre in Griffith City Library
- Hawkesbury City Council, $199,160, towards Discovery: one click away
- Hay Shire Council, $150,000, towards The Hay Stacks Project
- Hilltops Council, $109,325, towards RFID Solution for Hilltops Council Library
- Inner West Council, $200,000, towards New Marrickville Library
- Kiama Municipal Council, $200,000, towards Gerringong Library, Museum and Community Facility project
- Lachlan Shire Council, $200,000, towards Condobolin Library Extension
- Leeton Shire Council, $15,220, towards Deadspace begone!! – Repurposing & refurbishing an underutilised space into a flexible community space
- MidCoast Council, $172,658, towards Gloucester Library renewal: transformation to the community living room
- Mid-Western Regional Council, $40,000, towards ‘Community Living Rooms’ – Kandos Library Refurbishment
- Port Macquarie-Hastings Council, $195,915, towards Vroom: Augmented Library Spaces
- Port Stephens Council, $89,350, towards Revitalisation of Tomaree Library
- Richmond Valley Council, $113,243, towards Project connect
- Shoalhaven City Council, $140,000, towards Branching Out – Extending Shoalhaven’s Library Community
- Singleton Council, $77,480, towards “Singleton Labrary” – Innovation Hub
- Upper Lachlan Shire Council, $33,507, towards Installation of a new Library Management System – LIBERO – in Crookwell and Gunning Libraries
- Waverley Council, $147,000, towards L.O.V.E is in the air – Eastern Beaches Library Outreach Vehicle Express takes the library to the people.
- Wentworth Shire Council, $150,500, towards Relocation and Refurbishment for Buronga Library Services, Wentworth Shire Council
- Yass Valley Council, $66,842, towards New LMS and RFID Technology
