IN a significant milestone for the community, the Glen Innes Severn Public and TAFE Library will celebrate its 70th anniversary in December, marking seven decades of service to the community. Since its inception in 1953 and official opening on December 17, 1954, the library in Glen Innes has provided a welcoming community space for learning, connection and discovery.

The library has served as a resource for individuals of all ages, offering opportunities to explore, share ideas and develop a love of reading.

Today, it remains an important community service offered by Glen Innes Severn Council, contributing to the ongoing support of local residents.

“The Glen Innes Severn Public and TAFE Library is much more than a building with books – it’s a place where knowledge and curiosity are encouraged, where stories come to life and where everyone in our community has access to the resources they need,” said Glen Innes Severn Council mayor Margot Davis.

“As we celebrate its 70 years, we recognise the invaluable role it plays in enriching our community and connecting people and the amazing staff that work hard for the community to be able to experience it.”

The library’s origins date back to 1939, when a public meeting was held to discuss creating a community library in Glen Innes.

Through the State Government’s support for free public libraries across NSW, it began as the Apex

Children’s Library in a small building donated by the Apex Club.

Since then, it has grown remarkably, tripling in size and now holding over 35,000 books for children and adults and serving more than 4500 registered borrowers.

Image courtesy of Land of the Beardies History House Museum & Research Centre

To honour this occasion, the library is hosting a variety of events throughout November, with highlights including:

Tuesday, November 26: William Rendell will host Fashion Magazines La Belle Epoque: Art Nouveau to the Birth of Art Deco, featuring a captivating talk and display of fashion magazine covers from 6 pm to 7pm;

Wednesday, November 27: Write, Publish, Inspire: A Step-by-Step Workshop for Aspiring Authors

with Justine Martin from 6pm to 9pm;

Thursday, November 28: Join celebrated Australian authors Karly Lane and Peter Watt for a special

Author Talk. Karly will speak from 11 am to 12 pm, followed by a community lunch from 12pm to 1pm, with Peter speaking from 1pm to 2pm; and

• Saturday, November 30: The official 70th Anniversary Ceremony will take place from 9am to 11am

with guest speaker Justine Martin. The festivities will continue from 11am to 3pm, with refreshments, displays, children’s activities, and live music;

Throughout the week, young visitors can also enjoy large activity toys from the Glen Innes Reachout Toy Library, while the Land of the Beardies History House Museum Display will be available for all attendees to explore.

All members of the community are invited to participate in the celebrations and share in this momentous occasion. For more information or to RSVP, visit https://gleninneslibrary.org/ or contact the library at (02) 6730 2600.