Blue Mountains City Library is the free public library service for the City of Blue Mountains Local Government Area, NSW Australia, find us at : library.bmcc.nsw.gov.au/

 

And see - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Mountains_Library

 

This site is maintained by the Local Studies Librarian.

 

Our Local Studies flickr site is: www.flickr.com/photos/blue_mountains_library_-_local_stud...

 

The Local Studies blog is: bluemlocalstudies.wordpress.com/

 

And check out our readers' advice blog: readersinthemist.wordpress.com/

 

Brief History of the Blue Mountains City Library Service

 

In the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, local library services were provided by Schools of Arts, Literary Institutes and Mechanics’ Institutes, which were established in many of the small towns in the Blue Mountains.

 

These facilities usually provided a community hall, a subscription library and other recreational functions such as billiard rooms. The libraries were usually staffed by women with some clerical or teaching experience, who worked for low wages and with few resources. Training for professional librarians was not available outside the major state libraries.

 

Although a Public Library Act was adopted in England in 1850, it was not until 1939 that a similar Act was passed in NSW. This followed a strong movement, similar to that in Britain and the US, in favour of publicly funded library services, able to provide free access to reference services and a range of materials, including books, newspapers and magazines; for education, information and recreation. Carnegie Trust funding was instrumental in the movement as was the development of major state libraries in every capitol city.

 

The Library Act of 1939 enabled local councils to provide and regulate free, rate supported library services, appoint librarians and receive a subsidy towards operating costs from the State Government. The Act was adopted by a majority of NSW country councils by 1947 and by most metropolitan councils by 1957.

 

In 1963 following community pressure, the Blue Mountains City Council commissioned a report from the Library Board of NSW on the establishment of a free public library service. This was presented to Council 28 January 1964, where it was resolved not to adopt the Library Act due to the cost of providing the service.

 

The report recommended a central library with administration at Katoomba and a full time branch at Springwood with part time branches at Lawson, Blackheath, and Wentworth Falls with a bookmobile service to outlying areas. Operating costs were based on a State Government subsidy of 3/- per capita and a Council contribution of 9/- per capita dropping to 7/- per capita in the third year of operation. Average library operating costs in NSW at the time were ₤0/10/4 per capita (In today's terms this equates to an approximate value of 10/- = $30.00, ₤1/0/0 = $60.00).

 

So the status quo continued in the Blue Mountains, the public demand for library services was supplied by the various township literary institute libraries and by a number of small commercial subscription libraries.

 

The Blue Mountains City Council paid an annual subsidy to a number of the Schools of Arts libraries to cover running costs and wages. Until finally, in 1967, after protracted debate and lobbying, Council adopted the Library Act and quickly came to an agreement with the remaining management committees to take over full operational responsibility for all public library services across the city.

 

Services

By the end of 1975, branches were operating in Springwood, Katoomba, Blaxland, Lawson, Blackheath and Mount Victoria and the library had registered 16,033 borrowers from a population of just over 47,000.

 

Only one central card catalogue existed until simplified author, title and subject print-outs were introduced to all branches in 1976, a Microfiche catalogue became available in 1978.

 

The Book Plus library management system was adopted in 1982, an online public access catalogue was introduced in 1985. Public access PCs with dial-up Internet were introduced in 1998, this was later expanded to broadband connection.

 

The Horizon Information Management System was introduced in 2003. SirsiDynix Enterprise was introduced in 2011.

 

In 2007, full-time branches were operating in Springwood, Katoomba, Blaxland, part time branches at Lawson, Blackheath and Wentworth Falls. The library had 40,000 registered borrowers out of a population of 77,000 and a per capita expenditure of $31.00 versus the average of $43.00 and on this measure ranked 79 of the 97 public library services in the state.

 

The Branches

 

Springwood – full time branch

Previously, Springwood Branch Library was housed in a ‘Braemar’ near the shopping centre and next to the Council and Civic Centre. Fiction, Non-Fiction, Junior and Reference sections were all in separate rooms with some overflow in the hallway between rooms. Library headquarters occupied the kitchen and servants rooms at the rear from June 1974.

 

On 14 August 1976 the new Springwood Central Branch Library at the rear of Braemar was officially opened by the Hon. R. J. Mulock MLA. Library headquarters and Springwood council offices occupied the lower ground floor.

 

In 1982 a fire set by vandals severely damaged the lower floor occupied by library HQ, which moved into Braemar.

 

In 1983 a full time Local Studies Librarian was appointed and in 1988 the Local Studies collection occupied part of historic Braemar following a Bicentennial restoration project.

 

Major refurbishments to the Central Library and a new Civic Centre building, known as the HUB, were completed in 2013.

 

A further major refurbishment was completed in 2023 with RFID circulation, an expanded lower ground floor containing Library Administration, an a Local Studies and Family History research area with a Council Customer Service centre.

 

Katoomba – full time branch

Katoomba had a School of Arts Library in Katoomba Street from 1896 with a librarian and oversight from a library committee and membership was by subscription. Management was taken over by a committee of Blue Mountains City Council when the old School of Arts building was demolished in the early 1970s.

 

The Library was moved temporarily to a house in Parke St where the Flemings supermarket now stands. In September 1975, after Council commenced a public library service under the Library Act, the branch was moved to a shop front in Katoomba St. on the corner of Waratah St. The new Library, Seniors and Community Centre complex in Katoomba St. was opened in 1978.

 

In 2007 Council approved tenders for a new library and art gallery in Park St. on the old primary school site, for which funding was secured and designs finalised in 2010. Construction commenced in 2011 and the new Library and Cultural Centre opened in November 2012.

 

Grant funded RFID circulation was introduced at the branch in 2023

 

Blaxland – full time branch

There had been a School of Arts library at nearby Glenbrook in the old theatre building which had fallen into disuse by the 1960s. Blaxland was the first new branch to be opened by the newly appointed Chief Librarian, Mrs Gay Baker. The township had not formerly had a library, so the library was housed in a cottage close to the shopping area. It consisted of a small reference section, adult fiction, large print and non-fiction collections and a separate junior room. The present branch library was opened in the new Community Centre built 1977.

 

Lawson – part time branch

Lawson Branch Library is a continuation of a former School of Arts Library in the Lawson Mechanics Institute opened 1896. Taken over by Council in 1974 it moved from the Mechanic’s Institute to a shop front on the Great Western Highway in November 1976 opening 21½ hours weekly. It moved again in 1984 to rooms in the old Blue Mountains Shire Council Building opened 1915. Part time days increased in 2001 to include seven hours on Wednesday. The library was refurbished and celebrated its 40th birthday in 2014.

 

Blackheath – part time branch

Blackheath Branch Library is also a continuation of a former School of Arts Library, opened 10 November 1906. The original library room was refurbished and restocked in 1975 and expanded to incorporate an adjoining room in 1986. It was again renovated in 2008 with the addition of air conditioning, improved lighting, carpets and paint scheme.

 

Mt Victoria community library

There was also a branch library at Mt. Victoria which was very different to the other branches. The property, a former butcher’ shop in Station St., was owned by a local resident who made it available for a library in 1975, as well as for local meetings, art groups and other functions.

 

Local residents renovated the building and Council provided the books and furniture. The library was staffed by volunteers, and local resident Mrs Betty Thompson received an honorarium to oversee operations. Books were checked out under an honour system. In 1986 it moved to the basement of the Mt Vic Flicks in Harley Ave and eventually closed in 1990 as a result of budget reductions.

 

Wentworth Falls – part time branch

The original Wentworth Falls School of Arts Library opened in 1915 but had fallen into disuse by the 1970s. The community successfully lobbied Council, Wentworth Falls Branch Library was the last to be opened, in 1985. It first occupied premises in the shopping centre, before moving back to its original home in the School of Arts in 1988 as part of the Bicentennial renovation of the building. The branch was again refurbished in 2007 with the installation of air conditioning and improved lighting.

 

Mount Wilson and Megalong Valley

Grant funding was obtained to introduce a book locker system with free Wi-Fi and RFID circulation to these two remote villages in 2022-23, with activation scheduled for 2024.

 

John Merriman

Local Studies Librarian, updated 2015