Lillydale Municipal Library Service | Lilydale & District Historical Society Inc.Sue Thompson2022-03-06T16:27:18+11:00
Libraries are Great Mate!
Sue Thompson
Lilydale may have been a small town in 1880s but in September 1880 the people held a public meeting and established the town’s first library: the Lilydale Mechanics’ Institute and Free Lending Library. [1]
At the time, the Lilydale township was just 20 years old– the first land auction being in May 1861. The town in 1881 had a population of 363 people (194 males and 169 females) and the whole Shire of Lillydale 2,543 people.
In her research paper, Helen Munro established the following description of the town:
There were:
- 14 shops – 14 individual shopkeepers
- 29 individual tradesmen
- 9 individuals offering profession services
- 8 hotel and hospitality establishments.
- And 6 individuals offering transport services.[2]
Based on the British Mechanics’ Institute movement, mechanics’ institutes provided people, particularly tradesmen with the opportunity to increase their scientific knowledge through lectures and so improve their life opportunities.
Once established the library needed to raise funds to purchase books. It held its first bazaar just three months after being formed. It was held in the Lilydale Rechabite Hall in Castella Street and was opened by Colonel Hutton of Cooring Yering. The bazaar featured “fancy and useful articles given by a number of ladies of the district” and ran from Thursday to Saturday and raised £113 17s. A large amount considering there were about 2500 people in the shire.[3]
Members were charged a subscription which helped provide funds for the book stock. The institute also employed a librarian paying a small wage.
By 1884 the institute has assets including books of about £150 and £87 in its building fund. The committee comprised Messrs J. Kerr, T. McIntyre, R.T. Kings, G. Brown, D. McNab and Rev A. Mackie.[4]
In 1885, the annual subscription fee was dropped to 10 shillings and the following year to 5 shillings. In 1886, the library boasted 600 volumes. [5]
The institute had land in Main Street (exact location unknown) and it wanted to build both a public hall and mechanics’ institute. However, the committee were divided on whether to build on their own site or move to the Lilydale Reserve in Castella Street. The council were opposed to the Lilydale Reserve site being used, but the committee proceeded and eventually the Athenaeum Mechanics’ Institute and Free Lending Library was built by local builder Sam Dornom for £1070 based on Melbourne architect Philip Treeby’s design. The hall had seating for 600 people and two rooms at the front were for the library and reading room.
It was officially opened by Healesville Shire President Major Blannin on October18, 1888.[6]
Even before opening in its new home, the library had amassed more than 1,000 volumes with 355 more volumes being added during its first year. Also the reading room contained all Melbourne’s daily newspapers as well as various magazines. [7]
Throughout the years, the hall became a focal point for the community and hosted many events, concerts, productions, visiting professional entertainers, lectures, talks and displays.
However its role as a library and place for people to read and learn remained unchanged and the institute continued to serve its community as the Lilydale Public and Lending Library.
However, by the 1970s, changes were afoot which greatly impacted the library.
References
[1] Lilydale Icon A History of Lilydale’s Athenaeum Building Vol 1 1888-1919, Anthony McAleer, pgs 11-18.
[2] Appendix 3 based on Victoria Census and Lillydale Rate Books. Published in Shops and shopkeepers in a Victorian country town: A study of Lilydale, Victoria, 1880-1900. by Helen Munro.
[3] Argus December 24, 1880 pg6.
[4] Evelyn Observer October 17, 1884 pg2.
[5] Evelyn Observer and South and East Bourke Record April 2, 1886 pg3.
[6] Lilydale Icon A History of Lilydale’s Athenaeum Building Vol 1 1888-1919, Anthony McAleer, pgs 11-18.
[7] Lilydale Icon A History of Lilydale’s Athenaeum Building Vol 1 1888-1919, Anthony McAleer, pg 24.
Moves to establish a municipal library
The story of the birth of the Lillydale Municipal Library Service can be traced back to the Federal Labour Party’s 1972 election victory.
Under Prime Minister Gough Whitlam, the government launched a massive social services agenda and he felt we were over governed with three tiers of government and set about delivering federal money on a regional level.
In the outer east this led to the establishment of the Outer Eastern Council for Social Development (Access) under the leadership of Sid Spindler who later became a leading light in the formation of the Australian Democrats and a Senator.
Local government saw this new body through which the feds channeled funds as a serious threat to their own power and areas of responsibility.
On the one hand we have the federal government’s move to channel funds into the community via various means, not just local government and on the other hand we had massive residential expansion as the baby boomers married and moved eastwards to buy housing they could afford.
In the 1971 census just before Whitlam was elected the former Shire of Lillydale had a population of about 36,000 and in just four years, this had grown to 55,000.
Of these 43 per cent were aged 0 to 20 years.
To cater for their new families, schools were built and pre-schools erected but there were no “support” structures so the community created their own.
At the time the shire’s total expenditure for the1974/75 year was $4.6m.
Lilydale Community Group
We moved into our Kilsyth home on Australia Day 1972. When I had my first son the following year, I was totally isolated – no car, no phone and no one to talk to. I would put him in the pram and push him over a rough track that was called a footpath to the local shop to buy something, anything, just so I could talk to someone.
Like many other people, we decided to become involved in things so we joined the local kindergarten which was just opening and I joined the Mothers’ Club at the local primary school.
With the creation of Access and the possibility of working towards more services for our kids, a group of parents formed a group called the Lillydale Community Group on April 22, 1976 as they believed there was funding available and we should lobby the shire to apply for the funds to provide services.
The community group had simple aims:
* To assist and promote sporting, recreational and community groups and their facilities.
* To provide a forum to discuss issues relating to the whole shire.
In true socialist style, the group wrote to the council seeking funding – a mere $50.00 to cover printing expenses to produce a small flyer promoting the group and its activities.
The group was told it must prove its worth. One councillor went further and stated: “although the group was formed to benefit the community it was not a council responsibility to pick up the tab.”
Undeterred and using Kilsyth East Primary School as a base, we established a parent run after schools program for one day a week – as much for the kids as the adults. We also established the first holiday program in the shire and worked for and secured the appointment of a community development officer shared with the Shire of Upper Yarra, who could work on these projects.
At one of our meetings we had a resident/ librarian raise the issue of the lack of a free shire-based public library service.
In its 1975 budget, the shire had put aside $50,000 ($1 per head of population) into a special library account but to qualify for the state government funding, needed to put aside the same amount in the 1976 budget and as the shire had been talking about a free public library service for 25 years, that second year funding wasn’t a given.
Until this time, the only library service was at the Mechanics Institute – Athenaeum Hall in Lilydale. You subscribed to the institute which bought books for which you paid a small fee to borrow.
Lobbying for a public library service
The shire was concerned about the one issue – delivering a library service to each of its 17 townships.
One was to upgrade and expand the existing school libraries but this wouldn’t attract the government subsidy. The State Government subsidy and grant at the time was $2.00 for each $1.00 for councils and an annual grant of $2.50 per head of population.
The group started doing some homework and received fantastic assistance from the Library Promotion Committee of Victoria and the Library Council.
The Lilydale Community Group decided to do something about the issue and with help from Access and publicity in the local press, we organized a public meeting at St Andrews Uniting Church, Lilydale on September 14, 1976 which was chaired by the shire’s first woman shire president, Cr Gwen Hardy. It was the first public meeting Cr Hardy had chaired since her election as shire president.
With no money, the group produced its own flyers and brochures and members distributed them far and wide.
Public Meeting Success
We were amazed: the hall was packed with about 100 people. The meeting was taped and I later transcribed the whole meeting which makes fascinating reading. Download the summary
Before the meeting the group had formulated several resolutions aimed at creating a Library Action Group. However, this did not happen at that September meeting.
Several people volunteered to help form the group and the lobbying and publicity started in earnest. The Library Action Group was formally created at a public meeting of the Lilydale Community Group on October 14, 1976.
The group’s president was Mrs Carolyn Stone.
The main objective was to get the shire to commit funds to provide the library service.
We found out those councillors for and against the proposal and worked on the swingers to get a majority vote.
At that time, the open council meetings were boring affairs attended by the press only. The public gallery sat empty.
We drew up a roster and had three or more people at each meeting to ask a question of a specific targeted councillor. Sometimes we didn’t ask a question which disappointed some councillors who wanted to have their say and I might add get their name in the press.
Show Time
The group also quickly printed some T-shirts and organized a stand at the Lilydale Show in November where we gave away library promotional material and sought signatures for our shire-wide petition which was signed by 900 residents.
In the same month, the shire set up its own sub-committee of councillors while the LAG continuing its promotions campaign with an essay and poster competition and promoting the benefits of a library service and questioning councilors.
Throughout 1977 the shire’s sub-committee worked on proposals to create the library service.
The council decided to firstly establish a bookmobile service to service each township; study the borrowing patterns and then establish a central library in Lilydale and three other branch libraries – one in each of the four ridings.
Launch of Municipal Library Service
The community’s dream became reality with Victorian Governor Sir Henry Winneke officially opened the Shire of Lillydale Library Service on July 31, 1978 when he issued the first books to my boys at a wonderful ceremony.
The Library Action Group had achieved its aim of giving everyone the chance to have free access to books and information.
In its own publication for the launch of the Central Library, the Shire of Lillydale gave a history of the evolution of the Lillydale Municipal Library Service.
The council initially allocated $145,000 for book stock which was purchased locally and overseas. The 25,000 books were catalogued and processed by Technilib, the cataloguing co-operative of which the Shire of Lillydale was a member. Books were issued using a computerized mini Libramatic circulation system.
Each bookmobile was designed to carry a stock of about 5,000 books, paperbacks, cassettes, periodicals and basic reference materials.
The bookmobiles visited 17 sites each week: Chirnside Park, Coldstream, Gruyere, Kalorama, Kilsyth, Lilydale, Montrose, Mt Dandenong, Mt Evelyn, Mooroolbark, Olinda, Seville, Silvan and Wandin.
Demise of the Lilydale Public and Lending Library
The opening of the Lillydale Municipal Library Service was also the beginning of the end of the Lilydale Public and Lending Library.
The Minute Book of the Lilydale Public and Lending Library show that the committee was well aware of the community’s push for a municipal library service and continued after the Lillydale Municipal Library Service opened in July 1978.
At its June 13, 1978 meeting the committee received a letter from the Shire Secretary. After discussion about the letter it was “unanimously agreed that the library should continue its operations as in the past. The motion was proposed by Mrs Jacobs and seconded by Mrs McDonald. It was also decided that a letter be sent to the Shire Secretary Lillydale advising the council of the decision.” (Lilydale Public and Lending Library Minutes)
This stance was continued at its annual general meeting on November 12, 1978 when it was resolved to “carry on as long as possible.”
However, with the opening of the new library service, financial support from the Lillydale Council and the State Library Council of Victoria was withdrawn and at the annual general meeting in July 1979, the library’s funds had decreased from $2614.07 to $1323.01 in 12 months.
Astounding Number of Books Borrowed
In its first year of operation – 1979 – the Lillydale Municipal Service received an enthusiastic response — 403,000 books were borrowed in the first year of operation (the estimate was 200,000!). This set the pattern for future bookmobile services in other municipalities. The Lillydale Bookmobiles were the first in Victoria to open at nights and weekends.
Special activities for children were held on the Bookmobiles and were greatly appreciated — Hallowe’en parties, school holiday activities and craft sessions.
Site for a Central Library
In 1980, a report was commissioned by the Lillydale Shire Council on future development of its library service. The report prepared by the Shire Secretary, Mr. Kerry Wilson and the Chief Librarian, Mrs. Cath Pivec recommended that a central library be established in the building which was to be made available to the Council at the Chirnside Park Shopping Centre site.
However, negotiations with the developers of the Chirnside Park Shopping Centre to establish a permanent library there were unsuccessful.
Lending Library Closure
The committee of the Lilydale Public and Lending Library knew Lillydale Council would establish its own branch library in Lilydale so, with its deteriorating financial position, the library resolved to close down on Friday, May 29, 1981.
The library’s minutes show Ken Hawkey met with the Shire Secretary Kerry Wilson. He indicated the library could dispose of some books to various organisations in the shire but suggested they met with the shire’s chief librarian Mrs Kath Pivec who “was delighted at the opportunity of obtaining any books that could be out of print etc. She also offered to dispose of any books that she did not need, saying that none would be wasted.” The committee also agreed to donate any books of an historical nature to the Lilydale & District Historical Society along with its fan and heater.
The final meeting of the Lilydale Public and Lending Library was held at the home of Mr and Mrs Ken Hawkey on July 14, 1981 – a month after Lillydale Council had announced it would be establishing it first static library in Martyn Chambers.
While that library had closed, its provision of a library service to the Lilydale community for 101 years laid the foundations for the strong community support of new library service based on bookmobiles and static branch libraries.
Just one month earlier, in June 1981, Lillydale Council decided to set up a temporary Central Library for Lillydale Shire in John Street. $100,000 was spent on furniture and fittings.
Temporary Central Library Opened
The library was officially opened by Shire President, Cr. John Maddock in September 1981. The greater choice offered by a large collection, the Reference study area, attractive children’s section and photocopier attracted many new members.
By December 1981, 41% of the community had registered as members. The monthly storytimes for children were well attended. School classes were given tours of the Library.
The Library was featured by the Library Promotion Committee of Victoria as “an innovative and successful conversion of office space into a modern library facility”.
Permanent Central Library Underway
In March 1983, Council resolved to build a permanent base library adjacent to the Shire Offices and branch libraries at Mooroolbark, Montrose and Mt. Evelyn.
Architects for the Central Library were Leighton Irwin- Garnett Alsop Pty. Ltd. H. & H. L Builders secured the building contract for the base library and construction commenced in November, 1983.
On July 16,1984, the Shire of Lillydale’s first branch library was opened to the public at Mooroolbark. Once again, the residents’ response to this extension of the library service was most enthusiastic. In the first week 557 adults and children joined the library. On July 25,1984 the Library was officially opened by the then Shire President Cr. A. Lee-Archer.
When the Mooroolbark Library was opened, one Bookmobile ceased operation and the book stock from the Bookmobile was relocated to Mooroolbark Library.
The base library was completed in August 1984. All the books, furniture and shelving were moved from Martyn Chambers to the new location.
On Tuesday, August 21, 1984, the Shire of Lillydale’s Central Library opened its doors to the public — another milestone in the provision of a library service to the residents of Lillydale.
At the 1984 opening, the Lillydale Library Service had a collection of 157,000 items serving a population of 65,800 — 60% of whom are enrolled Library members.
• Books — these include fiction, non-fiction; books in large print, Italian and Dutch; paperbacks and picture books.
• The main Reference Collection is at the Central Library and contains encyclopedias, gazettes, handbooks, dictionaries and a pamphlet file collection of current information. This material may be used in the Library.
• Periodicals — the library subscribes to 189 periodicals. A selection of daily and weekly newspapers are also available at the Central Library and Mooroolbark.
• Cassettes include pop, rock and classical music as well as spoken word.
At the time, services the library offered included:I
NFORMATION — staff are on duty at all times to assist library users to find information, join the library or look for a particular book for recreational reading or for research.
STORYTIMES — these are held at 11.00 a.m. at the Central Library every first and third Wednesdays of the month for pre-school children.
TOURS OF THE LIBRARY — for community groups or school children. Please contact the Library if interested.
HOUSEBOUND — books are selected and delivered to elderly housebound residents.
PHOTOCOPIES — available at the Central and Mooroolbark Libraries at 10 cents a copy.
Montrose and Mt Evelyn Branches Opened
On May 3, 1986 Montrose Library as an extension to the Montrose Town Centre was opened and later that year the final branch at Mt Evelyn in the old Mt Evelyn Railway Station building was opened on December 13, 1986.
Council Amalgamation Brings Library Changes
When Premier Jeff Kennett amalgamated the shires of Healesville, Upper Yarra, Sherbrooke and Lillydale to form the Shire of Yarra Ranges, Lillydale’s stand alone library services was immediately under review as the other three councils were members of the Eastern Regional Library Service.
After some discussion and a review, on September 1, 1995 the Commissioners of the Yarra Ranges Council handed management of the central, Mt Evelyn, Montrose and Mooroolbark libraries and the bookmobile service to the Eastern Regional Library Service.
The Lilydale branch continued to operate at the shire offices in Anderson Street despite at least one attempt to relocate it to another site to allow more room for council staff.
Finally, the council found the library a new home and on April 18, 2017 the Lilydale Central Library opened in building LA, Box Hill Institute, Lilydale Lakeside Campus Jarlo Drive, Lilydale.
At the public meeting on September 14, 1976, Denis Richardson, the librarian at the Baillieu Library, Melbourne University told the audience there is a change in emphasis and interest in the nature of libraries and that change is driven by the changing needs of the community. However, he said libraries are still concerned with and provide information, education and recreation.
Our slogan when campaigning was Libraries Are Great Mate! and really nothing has changed – just how it is delivered.
Lilydale & District Historical Society Inc.
Contacts:
Maria McCarthy (President) 9739 7407
Email: [email protected]
Our home is the Old Lilydale Court House at 61 Castella Street, Lilydale 3140
Hours of opening:
By appointment only:
Fridays 1 to 4pm and Saturdays to Mondays 11am to 4pm.
Sundays are preferred.
Closed Public Holidays
Share Your Information with the Society!
Email us your info (and images) to:
[email protected]
Lilydale & District Historical Society Inc.
Contacts:
Maria McCarthy (President) 9739 7407
Email: [email protected]
Share Your Information with the Society!
Email us your info (and images) to:
[email protected]
Our home is the Old Lilydale Court House @
61 Castella Street, Lilydale 3140
Hours of opening:
By appointment only:
Fridays 1 to 4pm and Saturdays to Mondays 11am to 4pm.
Sundays are preferred.
Closed Public Holidays