North Terrace library

Between Friday 26 – Tuesday 30 June we will relocate our staff and 950 linear metres of the collection, comprising approximately 37,000 items (books, DVDs, magazines, music toys, multimedia equipment and more) from Rundle Place to North Terrace.

Our other City Libraries at Hutt Street and Tynte Street will remain open as usual during these five days of relocation.

The State Library of South Australia (Ground Floor Spence Building & Mortlock Wing) will also be available to our customers during this period.

The wider network of more than 130 public libraries across South Australia are also available:

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The State Library of South Australia and City of Adelaide partnership supports the State Library’s Future Services Vision and Council’s Strategic Plan 2024-2028, creating a central literary, cultural and community hub, enriching the offerings of both institutions, with enhanced collection and service access, creative and collaborative programming and events, and innovative library experiences under one roof.

City of Adelaide Library, North Terrace and the State Library will remain separate entities that are co-located to achieve better leveraged outcomes.

The shared goal of the State Library of South Australia and City of Adelaide is to sustain and enhance community benefit, improve the service offering and access, increase visitation and utilisation of services, and appeal to an even more diverse demographic of city residents, workers, students and visitors.

The State Library’s premises offers a central location for the City Library on North Terrace, the cultural boulevard, adjacent to Rundle Mall with good transport links, ground floor access and activation, enhanced cultural gallery and community hub amenities.

The State Library of South Australia is also creating a dedicated children’s space on the ground floor of the State Library which will be enjoyed by thousands of new families when it opens. It will include the City Library's collection and borrowing services. A feature of this collection will be the City Library’s environmentally friendly music toys, designed to spark joy, inspire creativity, and support skills development, in budding musicians aged 0-5. With this collection we celebrate and contribute to Adelaide’s designation as Australia’s first and only UNESCO City of Music.

No. The City Library will retain its collections when it relocates to the State Library building. This is a complex move, involving the relocation of 950 linear metres of collection comprising approximately 37,000 items (books, DVDs, magazines, music toys, multimedia equipment and more).

No. The City Library will maintain its current generous floor space allowance, just in a different configuration, co-located with the State Library’s Research Library on Level 1 of the Spence Wing. 

Visitors will benefit from the additional amenities on offer at the State Library of South Australia, including the café, gallery, and study spaces in the Mortlock Chamber. 

No, City Library staff will retain their jobs when the City Library relocates to North Terrace.

City Library visitors and members will continue to enjoy all existing services, including book and multimedia lending, membership benefits through the One Card Network, access to Justice of the Peace, public PCs, digital technologies, creative programs and more. Customers will also gain seamless access to the State Library’s extensive collections, research services, exhibitions, programs and events. 

With so many more presentation possibilities, the inspiring programs, events, workshops, and conversations you know and love will come to life in a variety of spaces.  

We received such a positive response to our History Month programming in May presented in partnership with the State Library of South Australia. This was an exciting preview of what is to come when the City Library moves from Rundle Place to North Terrace. 

From 1 July, all our City Library events and programs will be held in spaces at the State Library of South Australia

Our libraries are a connected, city-wide service and the new naming convention brings all locations together under the City Libraries umbrella while recognising each individual location.

The updated location names are:

• City of Adelaide Library, North Terrace
  
• City of Adelaide Library, Hutt Street
• City of Adelaide Library, Tynte Street

Our social media accounts are now called @cityofadelaidelibraries and our monthly e-newsletter will now be issued as City of Adelaide Libraries.

Alongside the new naming conventions, we are refreshing our branding which will gradually be applied across City Libraries’ digital and physical assets.