Greater Geelong’s newest library has celebrated its first anniversary this week with an all-day family event.
The celebrations at Biyal-a Armstrong Creek Library, which officially opened on July 25 last year, were held on Friday, August 1, with hundreds of people of all ages coming along to help mark the occasion.
In its first year the three-storey library has attracted 4366 new members and had more than 120,000 people walk through its doors.
Positioned in one of Australia’s fastest growing suburbs, the library has become a genuine community hub, with meeting rooms and study zones, flexible spaces for creatives and public use and a dedicated children’s area.
Councillor Liz Pattison, Chair of the Geelong Regional Library Corporation Board said public libraries were “essential places of belonging”.
“In just one year, Biyal‑a has become a welcoming and inspiring space for locals to connect, access knowledge, and participate in community life,” she said.
“Conversation Club has become a crucial opportunity for connection for many, while local creatives love the podcast studio and Makerspace.
“There is everything from digital literacy, makerspace workshops, movie nights, cultural events and author talks.
“Early literacy programs give little ones strong foundations for lifelong learning and attract huge crowds; Toddler Time sessions regularly attract more than 120 participants.”
Geelong mayor Stretch Kontelj gave a “huge thanks” to everyone who had a hand in the library’s success so far.
“Libraries are vital hubs that bring people together to learn, create, and grow and the City of Greater Geelong was proud to contribute more than $20 million towards the construction of this state-of-the-art, environmentally friendly library and community space,” he said.
