Mitcham Memorial Library double the size and twice as good

Book yourself a date with the new $6.5 million Mitcham Memorial Library which is gaining rave reviews since opening last month.

Emma Wade with baby Olivia, Jess Wilkinson with baby Miller, Sarah Luthaus with baby Heidi and Ashlee Greaves with baby Valerie during 'Babytime' at the New Mitcham Library. Picture: AAP Image/Morgan Sette

Book yourself a date with the new $6.5 million Mitcham Memorial Library, which is gaining rave reviews since opening last month.

First-time visitor Sarah Luthaus, who took her eight week-old daughter Heidi to Wednesday morning babytime, could not have been more impressed.

“I can’t believe how big it is,” Ms Luthaus, of Lynton, says.

“The place is full of people and energy and we’ll be spending a lot more time here.

“She (Heidi) loved the first 20 minutes of storytelling and then fell asleep which is just about perfect.”

During the year-long transformation, the library has doubled in size to 1476sq m.

“We absolutely adore the extra space and the light and the energy around the kids’ area,” team leader Gail Mauger says.

“The community has really embraced the library — so come along and say hello.”

The redeveloped building also includes a toy library, an outdoor deck and five community meeting rooms, with after-hours access, which can host small events or be transformed into one, large room for a major function.

The library, on Belair Rd in Hawthorn, was originally built in 1965.

Mitcham Council will host a community fun day on Saturday, 10am-3pm, to celebrate the grand reopening.

Entertainment will include local music students performing on the library deck, climbing walls, bouncy castles, a puppet show, scavenger hunt, face painting and food provided by local community groups.