The Fremantle Library has seen a massive increase in new memberships and loans since its highly anticipated opening in the Walyalup Civic Centre in November.
The library’s first month of operation in its new home in Walyalup Koort saw new memberships increase by 125 per cent on the monthly average, with 800 new members signing up by the end of December.
Manager Jayne Cleave said visitation and borrowings had also gone through the roof since the new library opened.
“On our Open Day we had 1669 visitors walk through the doors, with over 500 items borrowed and 55 new memberships signed up,” Ms Cleave said.
“Average visitation throughout December was 830 people per day, giving the library a 425 per cent increase in monthly attendance. The number of items loaned has also increased to an average of 560 per day.
“That compares to average daily attendance of 285 people and 390 daily loans at our old location at Fremantle Oval.
“It’s wonderful to see that the new library is so popular and is attracting hundreds of people every day to the centre of Fremantle.”
The new Fremantle Library in the Walyalup Civic Centre is twice the size as the old one at Fremantle Oval and has more than 28,000 items available for loan.
There’s free access to computers, printing and Wi-Fi; power and data for personal charging and device usage; scanning and photocopying services; gaming consoles and a VR headset.
There’s also dedicated children and youth spaces, the Fremantle History Centre and Justice of the Peace service, while the Library Lounge located on the ground floor offers daily newspapers, tech-help and more.
The Library has also initiated free daily one-on-one support sessions to help the community navigate the MyGov and ServiceWA apps.
Singer-songwriter, writer and educator Natalie D-Napoleon said she was thrilled to see the new library’s extensive selection of local literature.
“My first impression when I walked into the library was that it was a nice open space, full of light and books!” she said.
“There’s lots of display space to see book titles and magazines. It’s especially encouraging for a Freo-based poet to see an extensive Fremantle writers’ section, multi-lingual section, and a significant Indigenous writers’ collection.
“I’ve been meaning to read Donna Mazza’s new book Fauna-when I saw the stunning cover on the library shelves, I grabbed it as a summer holiday read.
“My son and I plan to come to the library at least once a week-he really churns through those Manga books.”
Since opening, the City of Fremantle has also expanded the collection of items on display in the Library Lounge, which includes civic gifts, Indigenous artefacts and objects from Fremantle’s sister cities.
The display has an incredible painted cricket bat donated to the City by Phil Cox of the Indigenous Cultural Centre, as a symbolic trade from the Nyoongar People.
Other fascinating pieces on display include traditional message sticks and the keys to Fremantle’s Sister City Capo D’Orlando, which were presented to former Fremantle Mayor John Cattalini.
Visit the Fremantle Library Monday-Friday between 9am-7pm, and Saturday and Sunday between 9am-5pm.
