Surry Hills Library

Get back to the books, attend a lecture or learn to cook at this impressive community hub.
Melanie Colwell
December 01, 2016

Overview

UPDATE: SEPTEMBER 17, 2020 — Due to public gathering restrictions related to COVID-19, Surry Hills Library is temporarily closed for general access. However, you can reserve books online and collect via a contactless service between 11am–3pm, Monday to Friday.

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Surry Hills Library has quite a few things going for it. First: the collection, of course. Surry Hills Library has a huge selection of books, magazines, DVDs and CDs, with a special focus on fashion and design and LGBTQI titles.

Second: the events. Owing to its broader role as a community centre, the library has a constant roster of workshops from cooking to coding. Its Late Night Library series — a program that includes evening debates, film screenings and readings of the more risque persuasion — has had popular growth over the years, inspiring a number of spin-offs.

Third: the design. Whether architecture is your bag or not, the building is undoubtedly impressive. Following its construction in 2009, the site has won a slew of design awards particularly in relation to sustainability. The iconic timber panelling controls internal lighting, while the glass atrium draws in outside air to be filtered, cooled and distributed throughout the building. It makes for a welcoming space for many tasks: studying, reading, relaxing.

Image: Leticia Almeida.

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