The Burnside Library: A History
Published on 04 March 2022
Burnside Library is the jewel in the Burnside Council crown – made so by the support of the community, the Council and the dedicated Library staff.
Prior to the opening of the Burnside Library in 1961, the following limited library services were available to the residents of Burnside.
- The Glen Osmond Mechanics Institute, established in 1854 (two years before the formation of the District Council of Burnside) on private property opposite the Toll Gate, with the aim of ‘the mental improvement of the working man’. This library eventually became available to the wider public, moving to Glen Osmond Road in 1877, then to the top end of Portrush Road in 1965, where it was still operating as a subscription library in 2000.
- A library of 200 books created in the Magill School – the library endured well into the 20th century.
- The Norwood Institute Library at 110 The Parade. This building still houses the Norwood Library, now part of the South Australian OneCard library network.
Philip Claridge, Mayor of Burnside in the mid-1940s and again in the late 1950s, advocated for a free public library in Burnside. If not for his advocacy it is highly unlikely that the library would have been established when it was.
Mayor of Burnside Philip Claridge (served 1943-1946, 1956-1959)
In 1956 initial proposals were made for a free public library in the area but it took until 1958 for a more concrete proposal to be formulated. Mayor Claridge told the Council in 1959 –
”Burnside Council has made a magnificent contribution at considerable cost for the provision of physical recreational facilities for young and old alike. But I think you will agree that other than subsidizing the Burnside Symphony Orchestra and the Burnside Women’s Choir, it has done very little in promoting the cultural activities for its citizens.”
A proposal for the establishment of a free public library in Burnside under the Libraries (Subsidies) Act was adopted by Council on 29 February 1959 by a narrow margin of two votes – 8 to 6. It was the first community service established by Council as it moved from its traditional role of roads, rates, rubbish and parks and gardens.
Part of Mayor Claridge’s vision, showing great foresight, was that a children’s collection be part of the library right from the beginning. The Children’s Library and programs are still a high priority as they play an important role in the development of early literacy.
The cost of the original building and fittings was £10,000 and the Council did not need to borrow to fund the build. At the time there was no community consultation or ratepayer poll but the library was an immediate success.
On Saturday 8 April 1961 the brand new Burnside Library was opened by the Minister for Education, Mr Pattinson. It was the ninth free lending library to be opened in South Australia, with a floor space of 3,600 square feet, a staff of three and seating for 16 patrons. The original book stock comprised 7,800 items, with capacity for 20,000, and 50 new borrowers were joining the library each day. Within twelve months there were 6,576 registered borrowers and 110,000 loans from a stock of 10,000 books. These figures doubled by July 1966.
Old Library in the 1960s.
Burnside’s first Librarian, Tina Gervasi, reported that the two most popular books at the time were Exodus by Leon Uris and The Devil’s Advocate by Morris West.
Original library services were fairly basic but, in response to community demand, an upgrade and development of services were embarked upon in 1973/74, with greater emphasis given to children’s services and the informational role of the library. Book stock was to be increased from 20,000 to 49,000 so major additions to the building were required, both to house the collection and provide study and seating areas.
A remodeled and extended building of 9,000 square feet was opened in June 1976, with opening hours extended by 10 hours per week, book stock increased to 60,000 and a dedicated children’s area provided. And, by now, loans of 193,000 per year had begun to be recorded on microfilm.
The Home Library Service was established in 1975 with an initial membership of 85 borrowers. The philosophy of the service was to promote social inclusion by providing library services to those clients who live in their own homes or nursing homes within the Burnside area who are not able to visit the library due to sickness, frailty, disability or their role as a carer.
A range of vehicles has been used to provide this service over the years, including a mobile library which also visited schools and communities in the (then) East Torrens and Kensington and Norwood Council areas. The first Home Service van held 700 books and magazines; within 12 months 700 items were being issued to borrowers per month.
The first home library service van circa 1975.
During the 1970s, with little technology available, there were no personal computers for staff but a typewriter was available for public use! The vinyl record collection was phased out in favour of cassettes. Customers were able to borrow 16mm film projectors, film strips and slide projectors. Discussions were beginning into the establishment of a Toy Library and loans for non-resident borrowers were restricted to five books and two cassettes, vastly different to the 100 item limit now available to all customers through the state-wide OneCard system.
In July 1983 Burnside Council partnered with Kensington and Norwood Council to provide public library services (including a home library service) for Kensington and Norwood residents, and in 1985 a public library was established in the former Institute building at 110 The Parade, Norwood. Items were couriered daily between Burnside and Norwood for customer convenience and the library was staffed by Burnside Library staff.
Other developments during the 1980s included the computerisation of the Library in 1981 and further extensions to add a dedicated Local History room, made possible with the support of the Burnside Historical Society.
In 1990, in response to public demand, the Library began opening on Sundays. Also in the 1990s we heard whisperings of “the internet”. A public PC space was made available – with one PC for word processing and one for internet access. Staff also had access to PCs with basic software. Public internet training sessions were initiated and well attended.
Library information desk, circa 1987.
Book discussion groups also commenced during this time, originally instigated by the Delta Foundation and facilitated by casual library staff. And adult and children’s programs were starting to take off! However, the library now had issues with storage and space for programming, events and training. A consultant reported that, “The Library is full. Either it should be extended to a minimum of 2,000 square metres or a new library building should be constructed elsewhere on the Council site.”
Several proposals were put forward and public consultation resulted in some passionate arguments on both sides. The library became the cultural focal point of a proposal for the extensive redevelopment of the Town Hall site – the civic heart of Burnside – and in May 1998 Council adopted a proposal (9 votes to 4) for a project which was named the Burnside Millennium Project or BUMP, with a projected cost of $9 million.
Demolition of the old library began in January 2000, with library collections moved into the Community Centre and attached temporary buildings. The building project was completed within 12 months and remained on budget.
Burnside Millennium Project and new Library being built in 2000.
Opening in October 2000, the new library provided spaces study and for events and a lovely Children’s Library. The Toy Library, which had been operating since 1995 on the site of the current Glenunga Hub on Conyngham Street, Glenside, moved to a space inside the Burnside Library in 2012. Borrowers were now able to access the Toy Library at all times during opening hours, compared to the previous 10 hours per week. Currently 2,200 Toy Library users have access to 4,000 toys and games.
Burnside Library Toy Library, 2021.
The Book Discussion Group program has increased dramatically over the years. There are currently over 100 groups meeting externally and 23 internal groups facilitated by volunteers, including Non-Fiction, Audio, Mandarin, Young Adult and ESL groups.
Audio Book Club meeting at Burnside Library 2018.
A significant change to the library service occurred in 2014 when Burnside Library joined the SA wide OneCard network, enabling customers to access millions of items across all 130 SA public libraries. In 2017 the library adopted RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology, which enables customers to check out their own items. Physical changes needed to be made to the library environment, resulting in an open, welcoming space. Staff now have the opportunity to move more freely to assist customers, rather than being confined behind a large circulation desk.
Burnside Library Information Desk, 2019.
The library has also made its way out into community spaces with the annual Library in the Park and other children’s events, and continues to support the Burnside community with online resources and home deliveries to people unable to attend the library due to COVID.
The beauty of public libraries is they are a place to just ‘be’, whether you’re studying, reading, using the free Wi-Fi, attending an event, meeting a friend or just need a safe space. Over the past twenty years community engagement in the library has increased enormously. No longer are public libraries just a place to borrow books – we have seen cultural days, rock bands, flamenco dancers, visiting authors and book launches, community information sessions, streaming of Writers’ Week, new children’s programs and so much more.
Written by Judy Brown, Coordinator Customer Service Burnside Library