Back to Australia 2014 | Adelaide City Library

It was during my stroll through the Rundle Mall that I chanced upon City Library. Tucked away in a lane off the mall, I first noticed the bold signage high above a verdant display of spring flowers in old wooden boxes, stacked precariously behind an old bicycle. A woman in a bright orange sweater greeted me, and asked if I had come for the spring gardening workshop. I wish! They are held every Friday throughout October here in the city centre, at the library. As always, I opted for a visit.

I took the “slow way up”, by which I mean the stairs. The library occupies the 4th floor of what was once a parkade. Since Rundle is a pedestrian mall, it was re-purposed to a library. The librarian spoke proudly of this innovative concept; the old library was so busy people were lined up outside to get in, it was so small. The new library has views, she pointed out, to the ocean in one direction, and over the townscape in the other.

It’s small, but if feels spacious. Many interior walls are glass, creating openness, light, and a feeling of spaciousness. An outdoor reading space affords access to a long walkway boldly displaying quotable quotes, greenery, and the view across town. With so much natural light, lush plants grow everywhere, and the crowd that gathers for the gardening workshop fill the central core of the space. Beautiful. Sustainable.

Connectivity is either non-existent or very limited out here so the next few posts will come as and when I can get them up. It's now Wednesday here, and I'm in the central desert. Lots of catching up to do on my one hour per day of internet access!