Brunswick Library

This library makes me wish I lived in Brunswick. They’ve got a good selection of books and magazines across a lot of topics. There’s plenty of places to sit, many in easy reach of powerpoints to keep your gadgets powered up. My favourite thing about it though is that it’s such a beautiful building, made even better by an amazing mural at the back. If only all libraries were such nice environments.

Lots of graphic novels over about 9 shelves! Can’t really speak for any of the other sections but if it’s comics you’re after then this is the place for you

One of the best bits about the Brunswick Library is its wicked exterior. That’s no bad comment about the contents of the library (we’ll get to that) but before you walk in the doors just step back and look up and the crazy blue and clay colours at work. Solid almost duck egg blue with pale clay trims. Man they had it all worked out when they built this place.
Inside is less of an architectural wet dream than I hoped.
It very quickly feels like a division of a council office block, with nice higher than normal ceilings and fluro lighting.
With quite an extensive library (see what I did there, lame) of books and media, you’re bound to lose a few hours just working out where everything is. There are people who can help you, but either they won’t or won’t be any better than your eyes. The media in particular had me confused for a bit. The dvds stop in one place then start again somewhere else. Once you work out the tricks to the system however, you realise the quality of bits they have here. Great music back catalogue — both contemporary and classicness — and for all its maddening organisation the dvds stock some wicked documentaries.
After a while you forget the dated council office interior and curl up with a book.

The Brunswick Library is among the spacious and well loved of public libraries in the inner northern suburbs. Housed in the old theatre of Brunswick Town Hall, it’s got a relatively decent range of books, films and CDs in its collection that are free for anyone who wants to join up to borrow.
The loan period errs on the short side for books, and there’s a system of late fees for those tardy with returns. Anything out on loan can be booked for the whopping fee of $ 1.00, and will be held for you for a couple of days. The computers operate under a booking system, and they can be quite strict about this process so as to allow people without access to computers at home or at work to hook into the cyber age.
There seems to be a good sized collection of foreign language books etc. to cater for Brunswick’s famously multicultural (and multi-​linguistic) community. There’s also a bafflingly large collection of large print books for anyone who likes reading giant text. Readings and performances aimed at engaging with children’s literacy are also held fairly regularly.
The online catalogue can be confusing at times, with more specific search terms such as authors and titles often not churning out the desired results despite being present in their collection. Nonetheless, it’s easy enough to work out a system around this, such as asking a librarian to do it for you. I find that usually gets you what you were looking for.
But like any small library, it has its limitations, and finding more obscure books can be a bit hit and miss.

The big blue monolith that is the Brunswick library, shares it site with the Brunswick Town Hall. The library is actually set in the old Town Hall theatre.
Once you walk off the street you are met with an art deco foyer that makes you think you might see a film that still has an intermission. The foyer has some toilets that run off it that are spacious and in serious need of renovation — especially to the stink.
The interior of the library is spacious. The shelves of books run in loops and lines in the theatre space. Unfortunately the stage isn’t used for anything — they should definitely incorporate it, so to with the balcony that runs around the wall, at the moment it’s just wasted space.
There is a ok selection of books, music and film here. Only a few computers for Internet use — but yes it’s still free, and the staff are super friendly. When I started asking about the actual site, they seemed to get excited and 1 went off and printed off a few pages of information for me. I was informed of an upcoming renovation and the large cracks in the walls were pointed out to me. I really hope they incorporate the stage.

A gorgeous old art deco building that’s in real need of some work, I imagine that the Brunswick Library was once a sight of grandeur. Not any more. Seating is cramped, the collections are limited and interent connection is patchy to say the least. It just isn’t that appealing of a spot to study.
However, this place does have some serious potential. All we need is for some enterprising individual to come by and give the Brunswick Library the restoration it deserves. Until then, I’ll be going elsewhere.