Toowoomba Libraries Strategy
The overall project goals and objectives of the Library Facilities Strategy project are:
- To ensure that future development of library facilities meet existing and emerging community needs;
- To provide a logical sequence of works and/or projects for inclusion into council’s strategic planning
documents and Council’s 20 year capital works program; - To identify solutions to emerging problems that are acceptable to council, achievable within
indicative time frames, and provide reasonable cost benefit to the community and council; - To deliver library facilities and services throughout the region that have the capacity to adjust to
changing contemporary needs, and remain affordable and within a manageable public service
framework.
Recommended Future Directions
- An organisational structure based on a ‘hub and spoke’ Satellite model utilising a Resource Management
Centre servicing a new City Library, new suburban libraries and upgraded existing regional branch libraries
supplemented with an expanded mobile library service provides the most efficient and advantageous
outcome for council from both a cost and service delivery perspective. - Housing the Local History Library collection and operations at a separate location is considered inefficient
from both a staffing and general operations perspective. Accordingly, collocation within the new City Library
with archives and valuable collections located in optimum conditions at the Resource Management Centre is
recommended. - This collocation of community facilities is seen as beneficial to both council and the local community.
- The report concludes with a preferred strategic approach and detailed recommendations which can be
found in Key Findings of the Study and Future Directions.