THE Cooroy Library is making headlines again but this time the iconic buidling is making waves in India as Chennai’s Times City newspaper names the 1600 square metre building as one of the world’s best, modern libraries.
It’s the second time Cooroy Library – which has a grassed roof, technology centre, digital training and community rooms, lounge, reading areas and cafe – has been in the international spotlight.
Earlier this year property and urban development industry news website TheUrbanDeveloper.com named Cooroy Library in its article Six of the World’s Coolest Modern Libraries.
Council’s libraries and galleries manager Kerri Contini said she was thrilled to see Cooroy Library recognised as a world leader.
“This publicity highlights just how well the library meets contemporary community needs. One of the key elements of its success is the blend of modern technology, such as fibre-optic internet and touch-screen smartboards, with the traditional human elements of a library, such as a sense of community and the sharing of stories and information,” she said.
“Being mentioned alongside Finland’s Turku City Library and South Korea’s Nam June Paik Library is a great endorsement for Cooroy Library.”
The Times City front page article discusses libraries’ need to embrace technology to stay relevant, naming Cooroy Library in a list of five ‘global frontrunners’.
In an Australian first, Noosa Library Service last year recruited a NAO humanoid robot to provide fun and practical robotics and computer programming training for adults and young people.
The $18,000 robot, funded by a grant through the State Library’s Technology Trendsetter 2015 funding program, is the face of the Library’s Robots for Everyone training program.
“We’ve extended the technology program to include Tech Savvy training, coding instruction and workshops using smaller robotics and electronics as we continue to assist people in our community to develop the skills needed to use emerging technology,” Ms Contini said.
