Darling Square Library

After years of anticipation, from the first whispers to watching the plans unfold and the drip-feed of food and drink openings in the precinct, Darling Square's fancy public library is here. It's replaced the old Haymarket Library and is four times its size — meaning there are plenty of nooks for you to relax, study and work in.

It takes up two floors of Haymarket's slinky-like inner-city building, made using 20 kilometres of timber. Just looking at the schmick building is a pretty good way to kill time. Head inside though, and you'll see the library has moved well beyond the standard collection of pageturners.

Here you'll find more than 30,000 books that are free to borrow, plus millions more digital items, including ebooks, movies, magazines, a large Asian literature collection, retro gaming consoles (including Nintendo, Atari and Sega), and robotic and electronic kits. There are also lounges and desks scattered inside and out, meeting and seminar rooms, a dedicated kids area, workshop spaces and an ideas lab where you can attend free workshops to help you use the 3D printers, laser and dye cutter, soldering irons and more.

Courtesy of City of Sydney

If it's been a while since you stepped foot inside a public library, all you need to know is that it's free to sign up and borrow if you're a NSW resident — and you can wander the aisles and enjoy the space even if you're not a member. Plus, should you grow hungry on your next trip there, you'll find plenty of top-notch eateries right below.

Darling Square Library is open 10am–7pm, Monday to Friday, and 11am–4pm, Saturday and Sunday.

Top Image: Parker Blain