Brisbane Libraries welcomes professional development participants

Brisbane Libraries hosted 25 visiting Queensland public library staff for a tour of the Holland Park Library and morning tea. Sharan Harvey, Manager Library Services gave a warm welcome and inspiring overview of the services and spaces in the redesigned and refurbished local library.

Rural Libraries Queensland and staff from small Queensland Independent libraries visited the Holland Park Library.

The tour was part of State Library of Queensland’s recent Big Ideas for Small Libraries Professional Development program for staff from rural and small Queensland independent libraries. The three-day training program drew participants from libraries as far north as Thursday Island, Weipa, and Cassowary Coast, as far west as Longreach and Boulia and as far south as Goondiwindi.

Brisbane Libraries hosted a morning tea for participants

The tour of Holland Park Library was a program highlight and provided an opportunity for visitors to see how impressive a small well-designed public library can be. The library is a welcoming community space which allows visitors to find their own space, engage with others, take part in an event or just select an item to borrow. There were plenty of Big Ideas for visitors to take home and implement in their own library including interactive and engaging children’s spaces and noise-reducing fixtures, RFID Smart Blade Shelving, height adjustable self-checkout stations and a community garden with produce shared with library members. Participants agreed the library was “awesome!”

Sharan Harvey, Manager Library Services, welcomes library staff and talks about the Holland Park Library.

State Library and Brisbane Libraries worked together to provide this memorable visit to Holland Park for library staff across Queensland.