Maitland City Library will join public libraries across the state today to celebrate the birth of free public libraries in NSW.
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Libraries across the Hunter and Central Coast will host a simultaneous cake cutting at 10.30am to mark the 75th anniversary of the NSW Library Act, the landmark legislation that led to the provision of free public library services for the people of NSW.
The celebrations are part of a statewide program of events led by the State Library of NSW to commemorate this historic milestone and to recognise the important role public libraries play in the community.
Since the passage of the Act in 1939 the number of public libraries in NSW has grown from two – Broken Hill and Sydney – to more than 360, with 3.2 million members and more than 35 million people visiting libraries each year.
City librarian Keryl Collard said Maitland City Council adopted the Act on May 4, 1945, and its first branch opened on December 17, 1946.
“Today the library sees over 250,000 people through its doors each year, with over 470,000 loans in 2013-14, and almost 20,000 [people] taking part in a range of programs from early literacy development, technology training, school holiday activities and visiting speakers annually.”
Ms Collard said Maitland City Library provided vibrant community spaces at East Maitland, Maitland, Rutherford and Thornton with services are available to everyone in the community that go way beyond book lending and story time.