OBERON Council has selected its preferred plan for a 70 square metre extension of Oberon Library, with the new addition to be constructed in the direction of the dental surgery on Dart Street.
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Four extension plans were put to councillors at the recent ordinary meeting.
The chosen design will require demolition of a dental surgery building, boundary consolidation and increased construction due to soil disturbance.
Council has chosen to go ahead with the project after it was unsuccessful in obtaining further grant funding for the Community Hub project.
That knockback meant council had to proceed with the library extension to ensure its library infrastructure funds were used by June 30, 2019.
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The chosen plan will not interfere with plans to establish the Hub some time in the future.
Oberon Council has budgeted $387,200 to fund the the library extension, including $40,000 in demolition costs for the existing dental surgery.
Council will also need about $30,000 in funding for the internal fit-out of the new space.
A $100,000 funding commitment towards the Community Hub project by Calare MP Andrew Gee before the 2016 federal election has not eventuated.
A report to council by corporate services director Lynette Safranek said the library extension would allow more community members and visitors to utilise the library comfortably and in more varied ways.
These would include activities such as story time, author talks, group meetings, digital access, computer lessons in the Community Technology Centre space, community functions and exhibition spaces.
The extension will also expand the way the library is used by young people aged 12 to 18 years, who are currently under-represented as library users.
Ms Safranek's report to council also said the plan would preserve the traditional functions of the library by providing a quiet place for older people to enjoy the library and promoting young people's interest in library activities, assuring that Oberon Library has customers for tomorrow.
