From the 21 June 2018 the Northcliffe Public Library has been co-located with the Northcliffe Visitor Centre in a move that has increased the library opening hours from 15 hours a week to 49 hours a week.
Over the past years the national trend to form partnerships between public organisations and merge their operational models to achieve win-win situations, has seen many libraries co-locate with other community service providers.
The decision to operationally co-locate the Northcliffe Visitor Centre and the Northcliffe Public Library is about improving the long term sustainability of the not-for-profit organisations, as well as extending the opening hours of the Northcliffe Library. The co-location also enables both organisations to save on staff and facility costs, and gives an opportunity for staff to offer multi-skilled services to the community.
Shire President Paul Omodei said: "The co-location has created a more integrated and functional space, and is allowing seven day a week access to the library. Whilst the Visitor Centre staff will be able to provide general library services to the community, a librarian will still be available for specific library duties on Friday mornings and for Story Time at 10am every Monday".
"Although not related to the co-location, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank long term Librarian Cheryle Elphick, who has made the decision to retire, for her 18 years of loyal service to the Shire and the Northcliffe community." added Cr Omodei.
Staff moved approximately 5,000 books during the co-location which leaves the original library space available for author functions and children's activities, whilst at the same time providing a valuable space for the Northcliffe Community Resource Centre to expand their services to the community.