A new library - larger than the one currently in the CBD - will likely be built near an 'activity centre' in Lucas, Alfredton or Delacombe, Ballarat's council has revealed.
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The new library is part of a five-year plan to address growth in the city's west and cater for the increasing demographic of families. City of Ballarat is currently drafting a 'Libraries of The Future' strategic plan.
City of Ballarat's director of people and communities Neville Ivey said he hoped the new library in the city's west would be completed within five years of the completed plan being minted by council.
"In terms of floor space, dare I say, aspirationally what we're seeking is it will be larger than our central library," he said.
"If you were to find a location which was not close to other services, that would be problematic, because what people tend to do is they will do the shop, they've got the kids in car, then they'll walk over the road and go to the library.
"That is the best model and that is certainly what we'll be seeking.
There is a demonstrated need, we can prove that statistically through the activity of the community using (library resources in Lucas) in an outreach sense.
- City of Ballarat's director of people and communities Neville Ivey
It comes as Ballarat's central library faces continued reductions in vistors, in the wake of GovHub construction and reduced car parking.
Library programs such as Baby Rhyme Time have been purposely relocated to libraries and pop-ups further out, such as the Lucas Community Hub, due to fewer parking spaces.
In February and March, the CBD library served 18,792 and 18,430 visitors, respectively.
Last year, Ballarat's central library averaged around 1000 patrons per day, or around 30,000 visitors.
Mr Ivey said when the library's car park first closed, there was a "significant impact" on visitor numbers, and had his team "seriously concerned about the future of the library".
"Since that initial impact, we've actually seen it bounce back," he said. "It is certainly back in terms of general collection and loan activity."
Across the five-year plan, council is looking to improve services at the central library and create more floor space, by changing the design of the layout, and opening up more of the second level for the public by moving council offices.
"As our population evolves and changes, you've got more people living in the CBD, more student-type activity," Mr Ivey said.
"So the functionality of the central library becomes less about doing everything for everyone, and you actually have more of those early years programs out in Sebastopol and out in to the west where the families are moving to."
City of Ballarat has requested VicRoads decommission an unused weighbridge in Market Street, to create up to 20 new car parks for library patrons.
Govhub construction will be completed by 2020, with council anticipating an 'element' of public parking under the five-storey building.
