Exciting partnership to transform Adelaide’s library services

The City Library is preparing to start an exciting new chapter – one that will bring the heart of Adelaide’s public library services back to North Terrace and right into the centre of the CBD’s cultural boulevard.

After more than a decade at its Rundle Place location, the City Library will relocate to the State Library of South Australia in early 2026 – with the highly-anticipated move set to improve accessibility, increase visitation and incorporate a new $2 million state government funded children’s space.

In one sense, it’s a homecoming – given City of Adelaide’s lending services previously operated out of the State Library between 1991 and 2014 before moving to its current home.

The reunion has been shaped by timing, opportunity and a shared vision for modernising Adelaide’s existing library services and bringing them together once again in a single place.

City of Adelaide’s Director City Community, Jo Podoliak, says initial conversations about the move began with a simple reality – the City Library’s existing lease at Rundle Place coming to an end.

“That really got us thinking about what the next decade would look like,” Jo says.

“Our Strategic Plan identified that our population is envisioned to grow from 30,000 residents to 50,000 – nearly double – and that’s when we started to consider what a contemporary City Library service might need.

“A sliding door moment happened when the State Library approached us about co-locating with a growth mindset to support the diverse population that we're going to have in Adelaide 10 years from now.

“We'll be sad to say goodbye to our current premises, our landlords who have been fabulous over a long period of time – but the upside of this move was just too good to refuse.”

The relocation will bring the two libraries – each with its own role, audience and strengths – into the same building, nestled beside the South Australian Museum and Art Gallery of South Australia.

While they’ll remain separate entities, the experience for the 220,000 annual City Library visitors and 550,000 yearly State Library visitors will be seamless.

The State Library will continue as the state’s major research and reference institution, while the City Library will bring its lending services, extensive programming, learning opportunities and hands-on activities.

The state government’s investment in a new dedicated children’s space on the ground floor will also attract thousands of additional families through the doors and add another dimension to the service offering.

“Today’s libraries are so much more than books, they act as people’s third space – not home, not work, but real vital community anchors,” Jo says.

“At the City Library, you can access legal help, financial counselling, creative programs, digital tutoring, philosophy discussions, craft groups, social workers, youth programs and 3D printing.

“The goal is to educate, engage and enable, and complementing these services as a lending library with what the State Library has to offer is such a wonderful contemporary offering.”

The impending relocation has staff at the State Library just as excited as their City Library counterparts.

Associate Director State Library Services Amanda Osborne and Manager Research Services Caroline Wilson both agree the co-sharing of the space will greatly benefit both organisations and the wider community.

“We’re genuinely thrilled,” Amanda says. “Our teams see this as an opportunity to welcome even more people into the building and to create a generous, lively hub for reading, research and community life.

“Both the Libraries Board and City of Adelaide were focused on what would deliver the greatest benefit for the community, both now and into the future.

“As the conversations progressed, it became clear that co-locating would allow us to strengthen services, make better use of public facilities and create something genuinely special for the people of Adelaide.”

Despite the large size of the City Library collection, all of it will fit seamlessly into the expansive Spence Wing space at the State Library without impacting any existing collections or requiring extra storage to be established.

Public access to the stunning Mortlock Wing – voted the second most beautiful library in the world by a global ranking in 2025 – will be unchanged, with thousands of first-time visitors set to experience its rich history and unique atmosphere.

Caroline says the collaboration will create a truly diverse and complete experience for library visitors, with everything at their fingertips.

“It’s a natural alignment of two services that care deeply about access, learning and the wellbeing of our city,” Caroline says.

“City Library visitors will have seamless access to our collections, exhibitions and research services, while still enjoying all the City Library programs and borrowing they rely on.

“For us, it means more people discovering what the State Library offers, from our heritage collections to our learning programs.

“The new children’s space will play an important part in this – a warm, inclusive environment that supports families, welcomes young readers and helps nurture a lifelong love of stories.”

Behind the scenes, preparations for the big move are well underway at the City Library, with staff kept up-to-date and well-informed about what’s required.

There are tens of thousands of books to transport, new layouts to plan, ICT systems to shift and activations to program.

City of Adelaide’s Team Leader Libraries, Katherine Shaw, says the move is generating plenty of positive energy across the organisation and her team.

“Co-locating our collections and our programs is just so exciting for us,” Katherine says.

“It’ll give us so many fresh spaces for events, workshops, residencies, exhibitions and activations and the fact we’re going to be positioned right amongst the Museum, Art Gallery and University adds even more possibilities to engage new audiences.”

Having worked in the role for close to a year, Katherine says she’s seen firsthand the enormous impact libraries make in communities, which is a constant source of motivation.

“I think we change lives in really powerful ways,” Katherine says.

“It’s so much more than lending out books – people of all ages, interests, nationalities, backgrounds, they learn and connect with others in different ways through reading, listening and doing.

“I love how our team shaped the services that we provide to people to make their library experience the best it can be.”

Transitions processes are being worked through by both organisations so that when City Library arrives at the State Library in early 2026, the experience feels smooth and well supported for both staff and visitors.

While a firm launch date is still to be announced, the City of Adelaide will continue to keep its community informed.

This article was originally featured in the LOCAL impact Magazine summer edition.