25,000 books removed from Queensland library

The public library in Redbank Plains, near Ipswich, has shifted 25,000 books from its collection in order to clear more space for extra public computers and new meeting rooms, reports the Queensland Times.

The original catalogue of 27,000 items will be reduced to just 2000 items in the exercise, and the move has been criticised by several local councilors who say they were not informed of the decision. While the Redbank Plains Library will be left with a collection smaller than that of a mobile library, the 25,000 books being removed will be taken to a new library at Springfield Central.

‘It’s a huge reduction,’ said councillor Sheila Ireland in a committee meeting. ‘Less than 2000 books is not a library.’ Her colleagues Kerry Silver and committee chair David Pahlke also questioned the move.

The council’s library services manager said the ‘community’s ability to access books won’t change’, adding that items will be available to order from other council libraries.

But local resident Jim Thompson said the library had become ‘busier and busier over the years.’ ‘I don’t begrudge Springfield having a library but it shouldn’t be at the sacrifice of Redbank Plains.’

Category: Library news