Our New Library

October 2022

Last night we went to the inaugural opening of our new local library. Over the last year it’s been renovated into a double storey, youth and community space with plenty of light and areas to quietly read, work or gather with others.

To celebrate, the library had put on entertainment through the day plus a free sausage sizzle. There was lots of children running around and enjoying both inside and out the library which was a delight to watch.

I chatted with Paul, one of the librarians to find out when the book club fires back up again. It hasn’t been going since the last couple of years, stopped due to Covid lockdowns and then the renovation, but now I’m keen to get back into it and catch up with the people who used to attend.

We also found out that the McKinnon pop up library near the train station was a success. People loved it for its convenience and asked for it to stay open. I used it a lot over the last year even constantly asking for a casual job. For some reason, despite my obsession to get a job in the community or to do with books, I simply can’t get an “in”. I’m apparently not experienced with either as I was told during an interview. (I made a mental note to change my CV 🤣).

Andrew borrowed four books meanwhile borrowed only one. A book on Gratitude translated from French. One of the librarians told Andrew that they have 60 boxes of yet to be unpacked brand NEW books. They’re waiting for more books to be borrowed to make room on the shelves. Music to my ears.

In the entry there’s lounge places to sit and read newspapers and magazines as well as an extensive DVD and Games library. Last night I spent time poring over the Government’s Budget in the newspaper The Age and the Financial Review. It was the first newspapers I had read in years.

This is the Games shelf. No doubt I’ll not be borrowing anything from here but I can see myself using the many books and crannies to sit and read.

The light and airy feel to the library is wonderful. Such a difference from the original set up.

Upstairs there’s the non fiction shelves here with huge amount of vast space and light for individual and teamwork. I think they should have another shelf squeezed in here…but that’s just me.

Here’s me looking through the romance section which goes to show that this photo is staged. I don’t read romances or crime thrillers or horror usually so that’s your clue. I just handed my phone over to Andrew and asked, “take a pic of me please!” His response, “that’s not believable – they’re not the books you read!” I said “just take the pic!” 🤣

I introduced Andrew to our libraries just before Covid hit. He’s now more obsessed than I am although he just reads crime and thrillers. He’s got a bit of a following himself on GoodReads and reviews all books he reads and tweets back and forth to authors of these books. Alas, I’m not like this. I’d love to have done this but if Hemingway, Orwell or Greene tweeted back, I’d be worried. 🤣

The outdoor area – all that is missing is the barista making coffees and then I may as well live at the library.

The Youth Hub provides a service to the young in our community. On the board, in the background there were suggestions for activities they wanted to see or do there. What struck me was most of them were to do nothing about computing, technology or being online. Many were suggesting physical, in person activities and events….which I loved. There is hope. 💕

After the opening, we headed to the Bentleigh Returned Services League across the road for a meal. It’s fast becoming our regular hangout place because we love its vibe, the staff friendly and it’s always filled with people of all ages – old, young families, children. Last night was packed, you thought it was the weekend or something but it was a wonderful end to a wonderful day of community.

I reflected that this is what I most loved. To have my day spent learning with others (watching my father teach his art class), then having lunch together with my parents with a meal made from their garden and a glass of retsina, talking and laughing about the day. Then an afternoon playing with Pud the cat and quietly reading my book, followed by a sausage sizzle and chat with other fellow people in our community at a sausage sizzle, perusing books, chatting to librarians and then dinner at the RSL and running into friends from my French conversation class.

This is what I love and am grateful for. More local and community events and activities like this are needed for our mental health and well-being in our areas. This is what it’s about and I’d love to find some casual work in this area.

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