New library opens its doors

The City of Rockingham’s $12.8 million Mary Davies Library and Community Centre opened to the public on Monday with much excitement.

City of Rockingham library and information services manager Alison Oliver said the building was an exciting space waiting to be filled with literary lovers.

She said libraries were an important part of society, even in the age of digital books.

“Not everyone has access to computers and the internet,” she said.

“There is a huge digital divide and books are important.”

Ms Oliver said the City’s library membership numbers grew by about 400 a month, but was surprised by how many elderly residents were not aware of the library’s assets.

The nature-themed building captures its surroundings with giant columns sprouting branches for lighting and roof support, as well as book shelves shaped in the formation of a tree and rooms for hire named after birds found in the Baldivis Children’s Forest in the past 12 months.

Named in honour of the late City of Rockingham freeman and long-time Baldivis resident Mary Davies, the centre is designed to be a flexible building with spaces for cocktail parties, business meetings, dance classes, story time, playgroup and study sessions.

With 30,000 items available to borrow and more than 20 computers to use, the library is full of fiction, nonfiction, magazines, movies and audio-books.

Mounted on the walls are computers, televisions and projection screens to ensure maximum versatility.