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.