AT NAMBUCCA Heads this morning the Government was flashing the cash – the ‘Benjamin Franklins’ as the Yanks call it – but it was the musings of that American founding father which almost photo-bombed the occasion.
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A $2 million dollar injection to basically double the size of the Nambucca Heads town library saw Deputy Premier John Barilaro, Arts Minister Don Harwin and local MP Melinda Pavey roll into town for the announcement.
A media pack was also in tow – but when one journalist asked the kids from The Red School to grab some books for a photo-shoot – one lad reached for the nearest tome, dubiously titled.
Fart Proudly shouted the cover (‘Writings of Benjamin Franklin You Never Read in School’) – but moments before the cameras went off a political minder noticed the errant book and suggested a last minute substitution.
After the chuckles died down, Mrs Pavey said the funding – $1.5m from the State and $500,000 from Nambucca Shire Council – would revolutionise the current constrained site.
Mr Barilaro said Nambucca Heads Library is one of the community’s most important cultural facilities, but there has long been a shortage of local venues with the capacity and amenity to host arts and culture workshops, exhibitions and events for youth.
“This $1.5 million grant will help to create a cultural haven with nearly double the capacity of Nambucca Heads Library, allowing more people to engage for the first time in quality visual and performing arts classes, digital and literary arts and interactive learning in a safe environment,” Mr Barilaro said.
“This is great news for the Nambucca community, especially young people who have no shortage of sports-related activities to choose from, but when it comes to culture and learning, have had limited options.
“From mums and bubs reading sessions to craft classes, public libraries and their programs support learning, literacy and knowledge sharing, fostering a life-long love of learning and setting up our youth up to thrive in regional NSW."
Mr Harwin said the Nambucca Library upgrade is the first of 56 projects that will receive a share of $47 million under round two of the Regional Cultural Fund, which included up to $5 million specifically for regional public library infrastructure projects.
Mrs Pavey praised council for its application, noting there had been a “lot of competition from across the State” for the funding.
Local librarian Mark Northover said he “did a handstand when I first heard about the funding”, while colleague Sue Hughes noted the facility had 8000 members, a quarter of whom were aged over 65.
Mayor Rhonda Hoban said whenever council ran a customer survey of residents – “libraries are always on the top of the list”.
She said there had been 58,000 visitations to the library in the past year, and it was a facility which catered to all ages, “from the cradle to the grave”.
The funding will make use of and transform the existing space between the library, Nambucca Community Hall and the Stringer Gallery.
Mrs Pavey said the State’s $1.5 million will be met with a $501,776 contribution from council to complete the project, which will also see new technology introduced through high speed Wi-Fi and computer access as well as new exhibition spaces and more places to sit and study.
“It is a pleasure to see how this funding will help to revitalise a well-loved community asset, ensuring the library remains an interesting place for the whole community and appeals to those who perhaps haven’t visited before,” the Member for Oxley said.
“There are obvious benefits for our youth, but by also ensuring more quiet study space, room for lectures and access to modern digital technology we expect to see greater visitation across people of all ages and cultural backgrounds and interests.”
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