The $9.15 million Boronggook Drysdale Library officially opened on Friday, May 5 with a Wadawurrung Traditional Owner Welcome to Country, Smoking and Didgeridoo ceremony.
The building, which was designed in consultation with traditional owners, local residents and key community stakeholders, features planted roofscapes, an amphitheatre and a curved public artwork commissioned from artist Sanné Mestrom.
The official opening was conducted by Geelong mayor Trent Sullivan and Bellarine MP Alison Marchant.
The two-storey building features contemporary design elements while referencing the rich Aboriginal and masonry history of the town centre.
The library includes features such as communal multi-purpose spaces, and internal courtyard garden, a municipal customer service point, free wifi access for library members, weekly family events and self-checkouts including multiple language setting other than English.
Boronggook is the traditional Wadawurrung name for the area, which was a place of gathering and connection, and means ‘turf’.
Geelong Regional Library Corporation CEO Vanessa Schernickau said the new library had already become a gathering place for the local community.
“We’ve had thousands of people through the doors in the first weeks,” Ms Schernickau said.
“Public libraries are so much more than books; libraries are a safe, warm place that welcome everyone, libraries can serve as a space to work from home or start a new business, or for children to gather to learn a love of literacy and stories.
“Our friendly staff provide assistance with digital literacy, finding your next great read, or connecting community members to the vast, free resources we offer. We can’t wait to see more people through the doors in coming months.”
Geelong Regional Library Corporation chair, councillor Ron Nelson, said the response from the community to the new library has already been wonderful to see.
“Since the library’s soft opening in April, there has been an explosion in membership growth and a very large number of items borrowed,” he said.
“Around 12,400 items have already been borrowed and almost 10,000 people have come through the doors.”
Geelong council contributed over $8 million to the project, with the Victorian government providing another $1 million.
