Librarian Jane Siermans is thrilled with the two new spaces at the Cobar Shire & TAFE Library which will help to extend the services the library can offer.
The two new community facilities in the library’s arcade were officially opened on Thursday.
The construction was made possible with a $114,681 grant through the NSW Governments Public Library Infrastructure Grants Program which Cobar Shire Council applied for in 2015.
The grant application detailed Cobar’s need for an accessible, centrally located, comfortable area where members of the community could come together for art and craft activities, meetings and social interaction.
Creating a better support network for the community with better access to educational resources, medical specialists including psychiatrists, and business professionals, as well as others, via videoconferencing, was a main focus of council’s application.
The previously unused offices, included the Cobar Genealogy Group’s former office and the alcove in the library’s arcade, have been transformed into a meeting conference room and an art and craft space.
The grant also allowed council to install a number of compactus units in the main library to safely store and preserve its local history collection.
The spaces have already been utilised by the Cobar Community Radio and the library for holiday craft activities, and are open for use by community groups and businesses.
The rooms are available for use both during and outside the library’s opening hours and bookings can be made through the library.
Council provides the use of the rooms free of charge to community groups.
