Further research is underway.

Impact on Brisbane Society

The Annerley District Municipal Library opened on 9 August 1957. It was designed by Brisbane City Council’s distinguished architect, James Birrell. Its original collection was 5,229 adult and 5,076 children books. The estimate cost of the collection was £6,000. By June 1958 the library had 5,240 borrowers (1,785 adults). The first librarian was Judy Greenstreet with assistants Margie Bargewell, Val Bayliss, and Beverley McLeod. Libraries are not the only indicator of a local literary culture but they are perceived as the main monument of a literary culture. In which case it would appear to be a good question as to why a community library appeared so late in the history of a upper middle class district. A School of Arts had been requested on this site since 1891, and within the district since 1886.

Citations

Unnamed. History of the Annerley Municipal Library. in Folder Three. Annerley Library Local History Collection; Annerley Library and Community Centre. Brisbane City Heritage Register.

Image Citations

Annerley Library. Archive: Brisbane City Council. [https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/things-to-see-and-do/council-venues-and-precincts/libraries/library-locations/annerley-library]