Lane Cove Library is busy. It has one of the highest lending rates in NSW and is a cultural and community place where residents can borrow books, enjoy workshops, and obtain information.
For the last 70 years, Lane Cove Library has been an integral part of the Lane Cove community and village life and on 11 February 2025 the Lane Cove Library held a 70th Birthday party to celebrate its 70 years in Lane Cove.
70 Years of Achievements
Below are some of Lane Cove Library’s achievements in the last 70 years.
In May 1945, Lane Cove Council adopted the NSW Library Act, which supported establishing a free public library service. At the same time, the Lane Cove Council began discussions with the Lane Cove War Memorial School of Arts Committee about acquiring its building for Lane Cove’s first free public library.
The Lane Cove Library was officially opened on 11 February 1955 by John Metcalfe, Principal Librarian of the Public Library of NSW. While this was a great achievement, it quickly became apparent that the School of Arts building was not big enough.
When Lane Cove Council relocated to a new Council Chambers in 1961, it was decided to convert the 1924 Council Chambers into a more extensive and updated Library. The new Library opened at its current site on 31 October 1962, but that was not the end of the story.
Space issues existed from the 1970s until 2010 when Lane Cove Council constantly sought opportunities to expand the building.
In 1976, a new extension was opened at the back of the Library, and in 1982, the Local Studies area was extended. In 1985 a Local Studies Reading Room, compactus and staircase were added.
From the mid-1990s, the need for more space became a pressing issue, and Lane Cove Council considered various options.
The Lane Cove Market Square development allowed Lane Cove Council to add more car parking spaces and extend the library.
From March 2008 until early 2010, the library provided services in two locations.
Locals might remember staff pushing trolleys across the street between the Library and the space above the Community Centre (now Gallery Lane Cove + Creative Spaces).
The Libray building as we know it today was officially opened on 9 July 2010.
The Local Studies collection was established in 1980, and it has four books about the local area. The Marjorie Barnard collection has continued to grow with the addition of Council Archives and the Municipal Art Collection.
The Lane Cove Library’s collection now includes more than 35,000 items, including books, photographs, and maps. The Library is also the publisher of 32 books of local significance.
The Junior Library gives local children a space to learn and develop literacy skills in a safe, welcoming environment. From 1975 until 1998, the Junior Library was located on the first level of the Library. It was relocated to the ground floor in 1998 to improve access for families, and in 2010, the Council was able to introduce separate spaces for Children and Youth.
Shorellink
In 1983, five Councils established one of Australia’s first library consortiums, Shorelink. These Councils recognised cooperation could deliver service and economic benefits to their communities. From 1983 to 1993 the Shorelink Office was located at Lane Cove Library.
The Shorelink Libraries network links the Lower North Shore Council Libraries of Lane Cove, Mosman, and North Sydney.
A Shorelink Library membership allows members to borrow from all Shorelink Libraries. Our online catalogue offers a choice of local or network-wide information, and we also provide access to a range of online databases and digital resources.
Shorelink recently celebrated its 40th anniversary.
In 1986, the Library introduced a Home Library Service to deliver items to housebound and hospitalised members of the community. Initially, there was one run per week, and Library staff would use taxis to deliver items. Now, the library makes six deliveries each fortnight to over 100 residents and 11 institutions.
A Year of Celebrations
The Library celebrated its 70-year anniversary on Tuesday, February 11, 2025
There will be new initiatives and community events throughout the year. Including
- New Library Cards
- On 14 February 2024 (which is Library Lovers Day) – there were QR Code Book Reviews – borrowers can now scan the QR Code, and an Avatar will pop up and introduce them to a recommended read – these will be scattered through the collection.s
- The Library’s Lego Club was launched at Lane Cove and St Leonards Librarie.s
- In April 2025, a seed library will be launched.
- The 2025 Lane Cove Literary Awards will open in May – this popular national writing award has been running since 2014
But wait, there will be more….
A Library is So Much More than Books…
Lane Cove Library is not just an important building but also provides services, programs, staff, and community play.
The Lane Cove Library is truly ‘a part of life’.
Fleur Morrison in an Huffington Post Article explained the concept of the Modern Library
Modern libraries play an important role, not in upholding a sense of academic excellence and intellectual superiority among users, but in their inclusivity. They are places where people of all demographics can come together and enjoy the free use of a public space. The elderly and the young, parents and students all harmoniously share the library. It is an opportunity for integration between the generations that is rarely available elsewhere, but is beneficial to both the old and the young. Education opportunities available through libraries further serve to close the generational gap, with elderly people offered tutorials on the use of IT to help them navigate the technological age. And while library users may not necessarily converse or engage with each other, crucially, they are not alone, helping to alleviate the loneliness that is becoming the scourge of our time.
Sydney Morning Herald, journalist Caitlin Fitzsimmons wrote an excellent opinion piece on why you should love your library. She said:
Most of all, libraries are a valuable community space. Along with parks and playgrounds, they are part of our social infrastructure. Shops and cafes and pubs are fine but it’s important to have spaces where you’re free to be a citizen not a consumer
Happy 70th Birthday, Lane Cove Library.
Our cover photo is of the Lane Cove Library staff, past and present.
Help ITC to Keep Providing Free Local News in 2025
