The Temora Library will be getting an $189,014 upgrade thanks to funding from the NSW Nationals in Government’s Public Library Infrastructure Grant program.
It is just one of many regional library projects to receive funding from the NSW Nationals in Government.
NSW Nationals Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke announced the library will receive improvements including a new outdoor reading and activity space, new accessible toilet facilities, and wheelchair-accessible ramps.
Ms Cooke said the funding would improve access to the library for the entire community.
“This funding is vital to ensure everyone, no matter their mobility level, can access the fantastic services the library has to offer,” Ms Cooke said.
“I am so pleased to be able to announce this grant for the Temora Library and to see this important community hub get these improvements.”
Branch Librarian Wendy Manning said the grant was fantastic news.
“It’s very exciting and it’s going to provide some much-needed upgrades to the library, being such a big community facility it’s going to be utilised by everybody,” Ms Manning said.
“We’re going to create more accessible toilets so people are going to be able to get in and out a lot easier, we’re going to have an outdoor reading room which open the library up more, create more of a community hub and it will be a lot more inviting place.”
The Public Library Infrastructure Grant program is a $6 million grant program directed to 20 public library projects across NSW. The vast majority of the funding this year has been directed to libraries in regional areas including those impacted by the bushfires.
The funding allocation for library infrastructure brings the total NSW Nationals in Government support for libraries in 2019-20 to $36.5 million, building on our 2019 election commitment to provide an extra $60 million to libraries over four years.
The Library Council of NSW, assisted by the State Library, assessed the applications for grants for local libraries to improve their facilities, mobile library resources and major ICT projects.
The funding follows an announcement that the state’s museums, galleries, and libraries can reopen, but with strict new protocols in place to ensure they operate in a COVID-19 safe way.
