The Gilgandra community has a new space to gather, read, and learn with the opening of its library hub this week. 

Residents have been looking forward to the opening of the new facility since plans to move the former library into the former Target Country premises in the main street were announced in 2019.

The new location was seen as an opportunity to provide more space after the closure of the former retail store. "There's plenty of room to walk around and spaces to sit," Gilgandra Mayor Doug Batten said. 

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And the community is already taking advantage of the space. "When it opened, I saw a father come off the street and sit on the padded chair and read to his son," he said. "It was lovely to see."

"There are real opportunities also for community groups to take advantage of what's available there," Cr Batten said.

Gilgandra Mayor Doug Batten helps a young girl with her ABCs in the new library hub. Photo: Gilgandra Shire.

The development, valued at $3 million at the time, was approved in 2021.

The library hub which includes reading corners, co-working spaces, tech space, and outdoor space. It will also be used to host events such as author visits, story time reading, writing workshops, and senior's luncheons.

A 42-seat meeting room within the library has been named after Glenys Prout who was a librarian in Gilgandra for 27 years before she died in 2007. 

Thousands of books, games, DVDs, and other items had to be transported from the War Memorial Institute where the library was previously located to the new location on Miller Street.

"During the move, we discovered things we didn't even know we had," Cr Batten said. 

The Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS), whose office is next door to the former library building, expressed interest in expanding their practice to the space. 

"We could put a doorway between the two buildings and take advantage of the space," Cr Batten said. 

The library hub is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm and Saturdays from 9am to 12pm.

Cr Batten said council is planning on holding a big opening event together with state and federal ministers who contributed to the project once scheduling allows.