By Tyler Wright
Emerald Library were delighted to officially launch upgraded facilities on Friday 3 June, welcoming an expanded children’s area, purpose fit study room and more space for locals to lounge and read.
“Our focus was on creating more space for kids and families to linger in the library, to refresh and modernize our foyer, to cater for people wanting to casually hang out and that tends to be our youth… to improve our accessible amenities and to repurpose the old meeting room to a comfortable study zone that’s more connected with the rest of the library,” Casey Cardinia Libraries CEO Beth Luppino said at the launch.
“This upgrade project is a great example of state and local government working with public libraries and key partners to improve our spaces, which are much loved by our local community,” Ms Luppino said.
The upgrades were made possible by the Victorian Government’s Living Libraries Infrastructure Program, $67,600 from Cardinia Shire Council and funds from Federation University and the former Emerald Mechanics Institute.
“There are 277 public libraries throughout Victoria, [they’re] an absolute jewel in the crown of our public facilities… It’s a place that’s free, It’s a place that more than just gives people access to loan books,” The Hon Shaun Leane, Minister for Local Government said.
“There were library staff ringing up regular clients making sure they were okay [and linking] them to services if they needed food [during the pandemic]; there was always the means,” Minister Leane said.
Deputy Premier James Merlino said facilities such as Emerald Library are the main local connector for towns in the Dandenong Ranges.
“They’ve been so vital in the mental health and wellbeing of communities and will continue to be so,” Minister Merlino said.
Throughout the upgrades, the Hills Hub facilitated Emerald Library’s services for several weeks.
A mural in the library foyer displays Emerald and the Cardinia Shire area in JRR Tolkien’s illustrative style.
Funding from the Victorian Government’s Living Libraries Infrastructure program is provided to support projects that deliver and demonstrate benefits for the community and/or aim to improve engagement and access to learning opportunities.
