The Grenfell Library will be celebrating its 75th birthday on August 25 with a small birthday function
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The celebrations will begin at the Library at 10am those interested in coming down to help celebrate, send your RSVP to grenlib@grenfell.org.au by August 18.
Outgoing Grenfell Librarian Erica Kearnes has put together a brief history of some of the important events the Grenfell Library has witnessed and hosted.
1946 saw the decision to establish a Library service in Grenfell. This service would replace the Grenfell Literary Institute and be a free service to all residents of the Shire and Municipality Councils.
The Grenfell and District Library Committee was formed to administer the library. Both the Grenfell Municipal Council and the Weddin Shire Council appointed two Councillors and two members of the public to the committee. The committee leased the Literary Institute's building (excluding the billiard and board rooms) for the library. This building in Camp Street now houses the Museum.
In 1947 Miss Muriel Griffiths was appointed the first Librarian and required to enter a bond to give two years satisfactory service of the sum of 75 pounds, with two guarantors.
The Library functioned in this building until 1968 when the Committee took up an offer to move to the RSL rooms in Main Street. The Historical Society took over the Literary Institute rooms in Camp Street.
1952 Miss Muriel Griffiths suddenly died in a car accident. Mrs Constance Stein was appointed as her replacement.
1953 Mrs Stein resigns, and Mrs Lyn Cook was appointed. Mrs Cook was the longest serving librarian at 32 years and was affectionately known as Cookie.
In 1955, 1974 and 1977 the Committee had talks with Young Regional Library, Orange Library and Parkes Library about joining a Regional Library, all submissions were rejected by the Committee. The subject recurred in 1985 and 1996 before the appointment of Diane New and Christine Taylor.
In 1967 the Historical Society paid the Library Committee $250 towards the cost of the library moving to the new premises on Main Street.
In 1968 the Library moved into the RSL Rooms which were originally the front half of the current building.
1985 Mrs Cook retires and Diane New is appointed.
1987 Diane resigns and Sue Orgill is appointed.
1988 The Library finally has carpet installed to cover the bare, cold, and very noisy floorboards.
1990 Sue Orgill resigns.
1991 Beth Thomas is appointed.
1996 Beth resigns and Christine Taylor is appointed.
1997 Library receives a grant from the State Library to automate the Library system.
1997/8 Air-conditioning is installed
2000 Christine resigns and Anne Gault is appointed. Anne is the 2nd longest serving librarian.
2000 Friends of Grenfell Library (FOGL) was formed.
2002/3 Toy and video game collections added.
2008 The current building was extended and refurbished to what we see today.
2017 Anne retires in July and Erica Kearnes is appointed.
2017 Library joins other Central West Zone Libraries in signing up to Borrow Box.
2017 Library website moved from a blog to a full website and the library Facebook page is upgraded.
2018 May Gibbs traveling exhibition visits Grenfell.
2018 Library and FOGL take over the cinema. FOGL pays through fundraising efforts for the Roadshow licence and continues to this day.
2018 Library receives grant from State Library to refurbish the library to what we see today.
2018 Local author, the late Gary Anthony launched his self-published book.
2018 Library signed up to Story Box Library.
2018 Preschool Storytime is introduced.
2019 Aqua Life visited for the school holidays in April.
2019 Puzzle collection was introduced.
2019 Australian children's author Tim Harris visited in conjunction with the Henry Lawson Festival.
2019 1,000 Books before school program commenced.
2019 Author Amanda Hampson visited and conducted a writing workshop.
2019 Big Skies Collaboration launched their book.
2019 Australian author Karly Lane visited.
2019 Brand new credit card size library cards launched.
2020 Author Annie Seaton visited just a couple of weeks prior to the original pandemic lockdown.
2020 Library undergoes a full stocktake. The first since automation.
2020 Library signs up to indyreads.
2020 Library removed overdue fines.
2020 Library signed up to the sustainability program via supplier James Bennett.
2020 Thanks to fundraising efforts of FOGL the library creates and launched the Binge DVD collection.
2021 Funding received via the National Backyard Cricket which was used to help purchase new large print and talking book titles.
2021 Junior Book Club was created for students in Years 4, 5 and 6 and extended to year 7 in 2022.
2021 A few colouring in competitions were added to the event calendar.
2022 Australian author Nicole Alexander was the first face to face author visit post COVID.
2022 Friday morning Book Club was formed.
2022 Grant funding was received to provide an outdoor cinema for youth week.
2022 Lego Club was reinstated thanks to Channel 9 and Brickman.
2022 Library receives two save power kits for members to borrow.
2022 Paintings from the collection traveling exhibition visits Grenfell.
2022 Funding received via the National Backyard Cricket which will be used to bring a manga illustrator to Grenfell later in the year for workshops.
2022 Library system "Libero" upgraded to the cloud system. No longer self-hosted by Council.
Coming up in 2022
Grenfell's Booklovers Festival to be held Thursday September 15 to Sunday September 18 with visiting authors Annie Seaton, Darry Fraser and Fiona McArthur conducting writing workshops, author talks, trivia night, meet the author session for autographs and photographs and a Discussion panel and lunch to end the 4-day event with.