Its stature as a community centre as much as a place of learning has earned Hume’s Craigieburn library the highest accolades for a public building among architects worldwide.
The global learning centre, as it is known, was named International Public Library of the Year at the IFLA World Library and Information Congress at Lyon, France, last week, pipping three other entries from England, the Netherlands and Denmark.
The award is part of the Danish Agency for Culture’s model program for public libraries, aimed at generating new ideas about how the design of libraries can change to meet the changing needs of today’s society.
Hume mayor Casey Nunn, said local libraries were invaluable community assets and testament to the council’s ongoing investment in community learning. “I’m incredibly proud that Craigieburn library has been named International Public Library of the Year.”
In May, the Hume library service – which has global learning centres at Broadmeadows, Craigieburn and Sunbury – was named Australia’s favourite library service after a nationwide search and voting through the Australian Library and Information Association.
Each year, Hume’s libraries have more than 527,000 visits and more than 992,000 items are borrowed. Library membership in the city stands at 59.1 per cent of the population – above the Victorian state average of 49.1 per cent.
The $17 million Craigieburn centre was designed by architects Francis-Jones Morehen Thorp and houses an exhibition gallery, occasional childcare program, café and council offices, all under one roof. Training and conference rooms are available for community use, while the library itself houses an expanded collection of more than 60,000 items over more than 4000 square metres of floor space across two, natural light-filled levels.
Judges assessing entries gave Craigieburn top spot based on six criteria:
• How it involves the public and users;
• Accessibility and interplay with surroundings;
• Flexible functions that are adapted to user desires;
• Architectural quality;
• Digital communication in the building; and
• The architecture’s interplay with local culture.
“The facility distinguishes itself as a significant modern construction with a strong, recognisable architectural concept,” judges said.
The competition judges were also impressed by the library’s reference to the Australian landscape and use of locally sourced rammed earth and materials.
