By Dominique Tassell
Southern Downs Regional Council has provided its first public comment on library services in Killarney since the tabling of a petition regarding these services at an October meeting, which was short on detail.
“Council has commenced a review of library services to ensure it continues to deliver an effective and agile service for the entire community, including Killarney,“ a council spokesperson said.
“This review will consider how services are currently being delivered and investigate how it can better deliver library service to the entire Southern Downs into the future.
“The detail has not yet been finalised, and as such, council has not yet considered the detail of what this future will look like.“
A petition to increase library services was noted at the 26 October meeting, created and signed by residents of Killarney and adjacent areas, asking for an investigation into the establishment of a regular and satisfactory library service for Killarney.
This comes after Killarney residents have been vocal about their dissatisfaction with library services in town, with many criticising the council’s decision to fund upgrades at the Stanthorpe library.
The petition to increase Killarney’s library services has been referred to the Director of Customer and Organisational Services for investigation and a future report to the council.
It contained 102 signatures for facilities in Canning Park and four signatures for facilities based out of Killarney Memorial Aged Care.
The mobile library, when in use, would park outside the Senior Citizens’ building at Canning Park and initially residents called to have library facilities installed in this building.
They were informed that the council could not do this, with uncertainty about who owns the building and what the building can be used for.
Inquiries have previously been made about why the Senior Citizens’ premises cannot be used, and who exactly owns the building. Clarification was also sought as to how a public service could be run from a private facility and how the council would ensure locals have full access to the facilities if they were to pursue library facilities run out of Killarney Memorial Aged Care. They were not answered at the time as the petition had not yet been before the council.
These questions were once more asked when a new comment was requested from the council.
