The Childers Library will start a new chapter this week as it celebrates its 25th anniversary.
Visitors to the library will be treated to a free morning tea today at 10 am to mark the special milestone.
Council’s Arts and Heritage portfolio spokesperson Councillor John Learmonth said the event was a wonderful way to celebrate a valued community asset.
“The Childers Library provides a range of services, from books and programs to community events and technological support,” Cr Learmonth said.
“While the original Isis Cultural Centre and Library was opened in 1979, the library was just a small room at the front of the building and quickly outgrew the space.
“A new library extension was then proposed and the Childers Library as we know it today opened on 22 July 2000.
“Since then it has continued to be a well-loved community space and this milestone birthday is a great way to gather together and celebrate that.”
History of the Childers Library
The original Isis Shire Council Chambers was a small wooden Queenslander-style building situated on the site where the Isis Memorial Pool now stands.
This building housed a reading room and library which was reported to be for men only and a library committee raised funds to pay for the materials and amenities.
Discussions continued through the 1950s around the need for a public library but the estimated costs were outside the Council budget at the time.
It wasn’t until the late 1970s that a public library was included in the proposed community centre.
The Isis Cultural Centre and Library was officially opened 21 April 1979 for twelve hours a week with the library housed in a meeting room at the front of the cultural centre.
In December 1998 the library joined the digital revolution with computer equipment provided by the Queensland State Library.
The shire quickly outgrew the library space and a much larger library space was included in an extension to the centre which officially opened on 22 July 2000 with a modern design featuring glass walls and distinctive sails covering the entrance.
The Isis Shire (Childers) Library operated as a CLS (Country Lending Service) Library, with its branch at Woodgate Beach, via the Public Library Services branch of the State Library of Queensland up until amalgamation with Bundaberg City, Burnett Shire, and Kolan Shire in March 2008.
It then became the Childers branch of Bundaberg Regional Libraries.
Childers Library 25th Anniversary
Where: Childers Library, 49 Churchill Street
When: Tuesday 22 July, 10 – 11 am
Cost: Free, all welcome
