Library nominated for major award

Docklands’ own Library at the Dock could be named the world’s best public library this month.

The Danish Agency for Culture last month announced the Docklands library was in the running to win the Systematic Public Library of the Year Award 2015.

Libraries in New Zealand, Sweden, Kenya and Spain are also in the running for the award, which comes with $5000 worth of prize money.

A council spokesperson said the City of Melbourne was delighted that the Library at the Dock and been shortlisted for the prize.

“It has been a wonderful year for Library at the Dock so far, with the building also winning two awards at the Victorian Architecture Awards in June,” the spokesperson said.

According to the Danish Agency for Culture, the Library at the Dock was nominated for the award because of its diverse range of learning opportunities, which are incorporated in a flexible layout and supported by technology.

The agency also said the library reflected the industrial heritage of the area, blended into the surrounding high-rise development and construction had taken sustainable solutions into consideration.

The City of Melbourne spokesperson said the library was situated in a spectacular setting and offered an extensive traditional collection alongside the latest technology in digital content, creative editing suites, music and sound recording facilities, digital gaming and a fully equipped performance space.

“The library also pays homage to Docklands’ rich maritime heritage with dedicated research facilities, exhibition spaces and reclaimed hardwood from the waterfront used throughout the building,” the spokesperson said.

“Library at the Dock is certainly a place that all Melburnians should feel proud of.”

Libraries eligible for the Public Library of the Year award must be newly built or refurbished buildings that haven’t previously been used as libraries.

The Library at the Dock opened to the public in May 2014.

The Danish Agency for Culture will announce the winner of the award at the annual meeting of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions in Cape Town, South Africa on August 16.