The Great Library Tour: Mitchelton Library Refurbishment

Earlier this year I visited the Mitchelton Library. It was a warm and friendly library, but it was a little bit boring. What I didn’t know was that they were about to undergo a massive refurbishment, the first of a series planned for Brisbane City Libraries.

So I was delighted to be invited to the official opening of the refurbished library. It was a stunning day for it, though cold, and Mr Pilot, Squirm and I were looking forward to seeing the changes. I have to say, however, I didn’t expect the changes to be as big as they were!

The first big change is a gorgeous, wheel chair accessible (accessibility was built in throughout the library) organic garden at the front of the library. This garden, which will be maintained by a local gardening group, is big on the citrus, and this created the theme which was repeated throughout the library.

The inside was as impressive as the outside, with new seating areas, an updated meeting area and new flourishes throughout. The citrus tree theme was repeated throughout – in wall decorations, in the signs at the ends of shelves, even in the addition of green stripes to the glass doors.

A large deck is also a new addition, opening the library out to the park. There are work areas, chairs and tables and deck chairs – perfect for snuggling up with a book. I really love that this is becoming a feature of the ‘park libraries’ integrating them better with their environments. The aim is to get a coffee van style cafe set up there, which will be brilliant.

Then there was the kids and young adult areas . . .

The kids area is quite simply amazing. It has adopted a cafe theme while continuing the citrus theme through the colours used and the wooden tree shapes around the edges. The area draws you in with plenty of comfy couches, and the books set up in low and wall shelves. I loved how a window shaped shelf was used to hold some of the series! There was a small pretend play area for cafe, an awesome Duplo board (which Squirm and Mr Pilot both adored) and one of those downward projectors which we’ve loved at some of the bigger libraries. There’s a chalk board for drawing, and a curtain which can be pulled across to separate the kids area from the young adults.

Squirm had a great time chasing things around the projection!

 

The young adults area continues the cafe theme, with cafe booth style tables (perfect for studying). But the biggest draw there is sure to be the interactive table – it was great to see people of all ages checking it out while we were there.

While the actual library is amazing, so was the event which was put on to open it. The local radio station was broadcasting, there were activities for the kids, music being played and displays from a few community groups. We were fortunate enough to enjoy one of the story times, though Squirm did go unusually shy throughout! The theme was even replicated here, with the whole story time based around trees! (I also noted that the tea provided fit the theme – peppermint, orange pekoe and lemon scented – those are the kind of details which really please me!)

Not so sure about this story time . . .

 

Hmm, ok. Maybe I’ll take a peek

The Lord Mayor of Brisbane came to officially open the library and I was very impressed by his speech. Along with talking about other refurbishments, he spoke about how libraries should be accessible to the community, and that they need to be places where the community comes together. This was evident in the refurbishment of the Mitchelton Library, which I think will be embraced by the local community and those who travel to it. I know I’m looking forward to taking Squirm again.

If you get a chance, go and check this library out. I’m sure you’ll be as impressed as we were!

Checking out the seating 🙂

 

Important Information about Mitchelton Library

37 Heliopolis Parade, Mitchelton

Website

Open Tuesday to Saturday

Parking is available at the side of the library and on the street.

 

The Great Library Tour: Zillmere Library

• The Great Library Tour

We had a few things to see to last Friday, so it seemed like the perfect chance to fit in a quick trip to Zillmere Library. Like so many other libraries, this one is only a short trip away. From the outside it seems pretty ordinary, a little 70s and a little bit dreary. But then you walk in the doors . . .

What stood out the most here was the fabulous use of light. The library felt bigger than it was, with a really good use of white to open it up. It was also uncluttered, something which isn’t always easy when you’ve got a limited amount of space and a lot to fit into it.

The kids section was to the left as you walked in and two things immediately stood out – the huge pile of floor cushions in the middle of the floor and the gorgeous play verandah to one side. Like Bulimba with their ferry terminal and Carina with their castle, the verandah (which was accompanied by a mural which set the verandah in a bush setting) added a lovely touch of whimsy and imagination to the area, as well as a cosy place to curl up with a book (or in Squirm’s case, practice climbing up and down the steps.)

Two other things really impressed me in the children’s section – the cosy grown up chairs that were set in different places through the area, and the gorgeous tiles which were created at the local multicultural festival a few years ago – this library is in a very multicultural area, and the tiles made it clear that the library was a space for everyone.

There weren’t a huge selection of books (not compared to some of the other libraries) but the books looked both well chosen and well looked after. The kids area is directly next to the young adult area, which also uses space beautifully, but my favourite part of that space was the big table which would be perfect for the homework help time or for holding classes.

This felt like a really friendly library – the staff were wonderful and welcoming, the chairs and cushions made it clear that this was a place to enjoy, and it felt like it was a wonderful place to read, to learn and to share. I was really happy to find this library and I look forward to visiting it again.

Important Information about Zillmere Library

Corner of Jennings Street and Zillmere Road, Zillmere

Website

Open Tuesday to Saturday

I don’t believe there is a car park for the library, but Jennings Street had plenty of room for parking.

The Great Library Tour: Arana Hills Library

• The Great Library Tour

We’re back! Trips to libraries were getting a bit difficult with Squirm’s ‘interesting’ nap schedule and his aversion to the car. But with those things dealt with, we were finally ready to head out again to another library.

I’ve always thought of the Arana Hills Library as a bit tricky to get to. Although part of the Moreton Bay Region, it’s really to the west of Brisbane (and just points out how sprawling the Moreton Bay Region is!) But we were dropping some books off to my cousin who has just moved into the area, so it made all kind of sense to drop by Arana Hills (which wasn’t as out of the way as I thought it was!)

This library feels almost hidden away, tucked into the hillside next to a park. It’s a bit of a sprawling library, extending from the non fiction area, through the checkout and computers, with the children’s section to one side. Then down to fiction, young adult and local history.

The children’s section is cosy and welcoming, with a lot of open space, outward facing shelves for display books and low shelves for the rest of the picture books. The board books are in more low shelves, but to the side, inviting browsers to sit and have a read. A real winner was the activity block – with a wire bead puzzle on top and all sorts of activities on the sides – Squirm adored the gears on one side and spent a good amount of time getting them moving. There’s also a lovely couch in the corner – perfect for curling up with a good book. The children’s non-fiction and novels are just around a corner, but have their own space which is nice for older children.

Although I usually focus on the children’s sections in these posts, I have to highlight the young adult section at Arana Hills. The young adult section is a room which steps out from the main library. There’s a tonne of natural light and lots of bright colours and the books are displayed beautifully. As a teenager I would have adored it – it would have been difficult to get me out! There’s also a little enclosed outside area attached.

There’s been a lot of recent work on the outdoor patio recently. Although it’s not completely finished – they need a non slip surface put down and then furniture added – it’s really lovely how it opens out to the park, and it’s going to be gorgeous when it’s finished. The park is just a quick run down the hill – and there’s no bark chip!!!!

The staff were wonderfully friendly and showed a lot of pride in their library. They were really excited to talk about the young adults section and the patio and what they’re looking forward to. As always, I’m reminded no matter how beautiful a library is, it is nothing without a wonderful, dedicated staff!

So, it turns out Arana Hills isn’t as far away or as out of the way as I thought it was – so I’m definitely going to have to make a return trip!

The best parts of Arana Hills Library

• The cosy, welcoming children’s area
• The amazing young adult section
• The friendly staff
• The buzz in the library – this is a library that people are happy to use!

The Young Adult section at Arana Hills Library

The Young Adults section at Arana Hills Library

Important Information about Arana Hills Library

63 Cobbity Crescent, Narellan Park,
ARANA HILLS, QLD 4054

Website

Open Monday to Saturday

Parking is available off the street around the library. There’s parent parking right out the front

Looking down to the park

The Great Library Tour: Cleveland Library

The Great Library Tour

While this post might attract those looking for libraries in Cleveland, Ohio, I actually packed myself and Squirm in the car and made our way out to the bayside town of Cleveland, South East of Brisbane (more east than south, really). This is a remarkably beautiful part of the world, even when you get a day which is gloomy at times. It turned out to be a fabulous day all together!

The Cleveland Library is situated on what you might call the ‘main street’ of Cleveland. It’s across the road from the council buildings (and a very impressive art gallery – I adored the Stradbroke Island exhibition) and on the same street as a number of shops and the shopping centre (which is actually split across the street). The library is large and airy, with big windows a feature in the children’s section. The children’s section had an underwater castle theme – there was even an arch to walk through! Then there were stickers (I think) which were designed like portholes (or castle windows) looking out on sea life. I’m pretty sure that the sea life shown was all the kind of life you would see locally – it wouldn’t be too hard to imagine that there was a castle, waiting for you, in the middle of Moreton Bay.

One thing which was quite different about Cleveland library was the way the picture books were arranged. Instead of facing outwards, they were arranged sideways on the shelf. Although I usually prefer facing outwards, I’m finding it increasingly hard to sort through books which have been filled to full in the low shelves. At Cleveland, although the covers faced to the side, it was very easy to sort through and find some real gems. Squirm and I had a great time exploring their collection!

We also enjoyed the furniture in the children’s section. One thing I immediately noticed was that the furniture – low tables and a long low row of soft seats – were incredibly movable – so you could easy change the section around to suit a different purpose. That sort of thing appeals to the teacher in me! Squirm also loved their big bead and wire table – it was just the right height for him to practice his standing.

The staff were extremely helpful and friendly – one of the library assistants even helped me get Squirm wrapped securely on my back! I think this would be a lovely library to spend time at, and I wanted to spend more time there myself!

We did have to move on, though. I had thought I was all planned, asking for recommendations from the brilliant Redland City Living. Alas, in the rush to get out of the house, I had left her recommendations at home! So we walked around the main streets for a while, enjoying the real ‘town’ feel of Cleveland. (We also managed to find Darrell Lea chocolate in the newsagency near Woolworths!) before I remembered my in-laws talking about the area near the historic Cleveland lighthouse. That turned out to be brilliant, with Squirm and I enjoying a fabulous meal overlooking the water and out to North Stradbroke Island.

All in all, it was a truly fabulous trip. I can’t recommend Cleveland enough – the people were friendly, the food was good and the library was brilliant!

Where Squirm and I enjoyed our lunch!

The best parts of Cleveland Library

• Excellent book collection
• The moveable furniture
• The friendly staff
• The theme allowing for imaginings of underground castles!

Important Information about Cleveland Library

Cnr. Bloomfield & Middle Streets, Cleveland

Website

Open Monday to Saturday

On street parking is available, but it’s reverse angle parking! There’s also parking around the back and a couple of nearby lots. I parked a few blocks down (where parking was normal again) and enjoyed the walk up

 

 

The Great Library Tour: Elanora Library

The Great Library Tour

Since we were holidaying at the Gold Coast, and Elanora Library was right nearby (and right next to the local shopping centre) it made perfect sense to include it in the library tour. Even more sense when we were given a rather wet and windy week – not all that conducive to a beach holiday!

Like Logan North, Logan Central and Caboolture, Elanora is quite a new library. Opened in 2007, it is situated above shops and is a wide, mostly open plan library. There’s a meeting room and a large space filled with computers, along with rows and rows and rows of books.

The children’s section is situated in the back corner of the library. Unfortunately, there’s a fire escape right in the middle of the children’s section. This meant that the section felt broken up, with readers forced to search around the fire escape to find the picture books. There was no large sitting area for children and no room to fit in a couch for reading – all the seating was individual, which was hard enough for Mr Pilot with Squirm – it would have been impossible to sit and read with a bigger child. The fire escape would have also made it difficult to watch children on the other side of it – you would need to have your child right next to you all the time

There was a big display of ‘fact’ books available for readers, several low shelves of board books, and lots of picture books in lovely animal shelving. I also loved the fact that the audio books were shelved amongst the junior novels. The books were very new looking, and there were several that immediately drew my eye – I’m sure there would have been many more if I’d been there for longer.

There was one big poster, created by children on the wall, but the other posters were advertising (including advertising for a movie.) It really felt like there was something missing in the kids section, like it had been relegated a secondary status by whoever designed the building (situating the kids section around a fire escape is ludicrous – and since it was a ‘designated’ space, the staff would have had to just go with it. However, I can’t help but think of the amazing Logan North Library, and the way they brought magic into otherwise ordinary parts of their library – the tiny reading nook in a corner, a wall and attached table used as a wall for forgotten books. Elanora could have used some of that magic.

The Young Adult section was also a bit strange. In most libraries, the Young Adult section tends to be near the Children’s – very useful when you’ve got those 11-13 year old readers who read from both areas. Here the Young Adult section was a good distance from the Children’s, right in the front of the library. It was very much ‘on view’ – I don’t know if there have been problems with teenagers in libraries previously, but it felt like there might have been and all teenagers were on notice that they were being watched. It didn’t make for a particularly cosy area, and I think I would have given it a miss as a teenager myself.

The Elanora Library felt very much like an exercise in lost opportunities. It is a gorgeous big space, with a huge up to date book collection. There are some great book displays and an obviously friendly and hard working staff. But it could have easily have been made more child and teenager friendly and become a space for them to love and enjoy – building another generation of library fans.

The best parts of Elanora Library

• The massive book collection
• The audio books in with the regular books
• The friendly staff
• Lovely lighting in the library

Important Information about Elanora Library

The Pines Shopping Centre
Guineas Creek Road
Elanora 4221

Website

Open Monday to Saturday

Parking available

The Great Library Tour: Bulimba Library

The Great Library Tour

Bulimba Library is situated on the edge of the popular Oxford Street. It had a lovely community feel to it, with community rooms available underneath, and plenty of room for people to read, study and enjoy the library upstairs. The people we ran into at the library were lovely, very friendly and happy to enjoy the time in the library with their children.

The children’s section was really lovely, with several nods to the nearby river and the popular ferry terminal. On one side of the wall there was a ‘cubby’ designed to look like the ferry, a style that was reproduced in a little book nook on the opposite wall. (The book nook carried series books – it was great to see them collected together like that). There was also a lovely painting above the children’s novels, showing the river in a similar style to the way the painting in Grange Library showed the Kedron Brook.

There was a lovely airy feel to the kids section, with windows highlighting the trees outside and pot plants adding to that on the inside. Along with the cubby and nook, there was some fantastic book displays, low book shelves with lots and lots of picture books and a extensive collection of children’s fiction. Right next to the kids area was a slightly separated Young Adults section, including a games table with games available for people to play. There’s a cosy sofa for curling up in as well as a seat in the cubby for reading on.

The staff seemed friendly and happy to be there and the patrons were definitely very friendly. It was a great trip out, and I was really glad that we made it. Now for Squirm to stay awake long enough to play at the playground at nearby Memorial Park!

The best parts of Bulimba Library

• The cubby and the painting
• A gorgeous collection of books
• The cosy, happy feel of the library

Important Information about Bulimba Library

Cnr Riding Rd & Oxford St, Bulimba 4171

Website

Open Tuesday to Saturday

Parking available

The Great Library Tour: Bracken Ridge Library

The Great Library Tour

This was actually my second visit to Bracken Ridge library. I’d been previously for a baby-wearing meet, but I’d forgotten to take any photos that time. Although I remembered to take some photos this time, they were definitely less than great! Maybe I’ll need to make a third trip to finally get the perfect photo.

Bracken Ridge Library is located pretty deep in northern Brisbane suburbia, and in fact might be the most northerly library in the Brisbane City system (I’m going to have to check that, now). It’s another park library, though this park is more playground and less like the green settings you can find at Carina or the Grange. It’s also part of a larger community centre, including the local Councillor’s office.

The children’s area is situated close to the entrance of the library, opposite the check out desks and next to the meeting room. It’s quite a small area, with shelving around the outside of the area and low shelves making a small seating area in the middle. The only real seating is set up in front of a television, so isn’t really ideal for reading to children, nor are the low shelves appropriate for more than one person to sit on, so I ended up sitting with Squirm on the floor. It’s very open, so there were times when it felt less like a children’s area and more like a thoroughfare between the meeting room and the rest of the library.

There were some absolutely lovely books in the library, all well organised and easy to find. I liked that the children’s non fiction was also incorporated into the children’s section, something which can be a bit hit and miss with Brisbane City libraries. There were some lovely paintings above the bookshelves, which definitely helped to brighten up the area. I also liked the book displays ‘selling’ different books. However, this wouldn’t be a library where I could see lots of children spending time in – it felt a lot more like a ‘check out books’ library than a ‘relax and spend time here’ library

 

The best parts of Bracken Ridge Library

• The paintings above the bookshelves
• The lovely range of books and the excellent condition they’re in
• There’s a lovely seating area outside as part of the community centre and a great looking playground for older children

 

Important Information about Bracken Ridge Library

Corner Bracken and Barrett Streets, Bracken Ridge

Website

Open Tuesday to Friday

Parking available

 

The Great Library Tour: Indooroopilly Library

The Great Library Tour

I’m not sure what possessed me, but after a little running away, I made my way to the very under-construction Indooroopilly Shopping Centre. Tucked up on the top level, along with the cinemas, is the Indooroopilly Library. It’s a bit of an oasis in a busy shopping centre, a place to stop and collect yourself, before heading out to where all the noise and people are.

It surprised me how bright and airy the library felt, considering that it was in the middle of a shopping centre. There’s a lot of seating areas around the library, including a lovely looking lounge near the front door (complete with displays) and a gorgeous little seating area near a collection of craft materials for kids – parents can sit and relax while kids create! (I also love that this area was in the ‘main library’ – making it clear that children are welcome in all spaces, not just the one reserved for them.

The children’s area itself is gorgeous. It’s full of bright colours, and the lady beetle/bee and superhero themes which you find on the children’s library cards. I was particularly fond of the little lounge area tucked in the corner, with a couple of comfy chairs and its own chandelier! I’d imagine children would feel quite ‘grown up’ sitting there to read.

There’s a lovely arrangement of low shelves, both in a collection in the middle and along one wall, with children’s novels across other walls. There’s more seating near a raised ‘stage’ area and a gorgeous ring of soft seats with a cosy middle area to sit in. There’s also a very cool floor projector which was fun for Squirm to crawl on. I also loved the little decorating details, with tiny decorations above the doorway in, which were then reflected in the ends of the bookshelves.

The staff were very friendly, both around the children’s area and in the general parts of the library. There were lovely displays around the library, which (once again) made me want to borrow books from a different library system (although, I get plenty of books from Moreton Bay and there is absolutely no reason to join another library!). Although the parking at Indooroopilly is awful at the moment, I thoroughly recommend getting on a train, heading that way and visiting their really lovely library.

(While you’re there, if you’ve got a little one and are looking for some new clothes, check out the area near Target – all the kids clothes in one section!)

The best parts of Indooroopilly Library

• The chandelier in the kids section – a bit of fun class
• The way children are welcomed in other parts of the library
• The details of decoration around the library

Important Information about Indooroopilly Library

Indooroopilly Shopping Centre, Level 4, 322 Moggill Rd, Indooroopilly 4068

Website

Open 7 Days a Week

Parking available

The Great Library Tour: Kallangur Library

The Great Library Tour

After a rather eventful week, we just wanted a short trip this week, so we headed up the road a bit towards Kallangur Library. It’s a lovely big and airy library, attached to the local community centre with a lot of great parking – including excellent disabled parking. The childrens and young adult sections are smaller ones to one side of the library (and near the computers, which was a bit distracting) while the rest of the library held the adult collection.

There was a lovely looking outside reading area, but it didn’t look like it was particularly used, which is a pity. There was a seating area near the biographies and a comfortable looking seating area in the young adult section, but the library didn’t quite have as cosy a feel as I found at Strathpine, Caboolture, Narangba or Redcliffe.

The children’s area was really nice, though and Squirm and I had a great time both reading there and selecting some new books for the coming week. The colours were bright and cheerful, with the same carpet as we found at Bribie Island – the red and blue which give an immediate lift to an area. There were great displays, lots to look at in the area and the books were really easy to find. Although there was a couch to sit on, we found ourselves sitting on the floor between the low, brightly coloured shelves, pulling out heaps of books to read. I was particularly impressed to find a good collection of books from Cherbourg Primary School, an indigenous community in Queensland. They looked great!

The staff were clearly very busy, but really lovely, going out of their way to help the people in the library. They’ve got a great library, but I think there might need to be some thinking in the future about how the library can best serve a growing high school population, with the nearby new secondary college moving into senior secondary next year – the library is so close to the school, that it could really be used as a place for teenagers to find books, study and relax as the school grows.

The best parts of Kallangur Library

• Bright, cheerful kids area
• Really interesting selection of books
• Friendly staff

Important Information about Kallangur Library

1480 Anzac Avenue, Kallangur

Website

Open Monday to Saturday

Parking available

The Great Library Tour: Mitchelton Library

The Great Library Tour

On a damp day, a quick trip to Mitchelton Library seemed like a great idea. And again, we managed to coordinate our visit with rhyme time, which fit perfectly with my goal to attend more rhyme times this year.

Mitchelton Library is another park based library. It’s quite a big and airy building, with high ceilings, and almost had the feel of a school library – though it might just be that the library was my default place to be on wet days! The children’s area was big and well organised with a huge selection of picture books, and a separated young adult section. However, there was a feeling that something was missing, with a lot of empty notice board and wall space – maybe the council should find a local artist to provide some awesome artwork for the wall!

The staff were incredibly helpful and friendly – I noticed a number of them going out of their way to help search for particular books, even when they were going off very little! There was a lovely welcoming feel in the library, and I noticed a number of people pausing to sit and read. This wasn’t as present in the children’s section, unfortunately, with two only two adult sized chairs to sit on.

The rhyme time had probably the friendliest mums and babies that I’ve come across! There were lots of smiles and laughter throughout the session, although it wasn’t as organised as the last two rhyme times I’ve been to. The feeling was fabulous, and it would be a rhyme time I’d return to just for the smiles and good feeling alone!

The best parts of Mitchelton Library

• The friendly, helpful staff
• A huge range of picture books
• The happy feeling in the rhyme time

Important Information about Mitchelton Library

37 Heliopolis Parade, Mitchelton

Website

Open Tuesday to Saturday

Parking is available at the side of the library and on the street.