Ballarat Library visitors are set for entirely new experiences, as increased spaces have allowed for an imaginative children's play area, a crafty makers room and even a community kitchen.
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The new facilities are set to be ready by March 2024, and will open the first floor of the library to visitors, after it was previously used as a staff space.
From the central foyer area, a large curved staircase will provide access to the new upstairs areas.
City of Ballarat mayor Des Hudson said the $7.48 million project had almost doubled the space and functionality of the library.
"It's just a really exciting project, the libraries are one of our busiest assets across the city," he said.
"We expect somewhere between 1600 to almost 2000 people coming into this space every day."
"This will be a real hive of activity for so many people, who will be literally lining up to come back and reengage with their library."
In particular, Cr Hudson said he was "really excited" by the new cooking demonstration facilities in the youth and community space on the library's first floor.
He said the cooking area would provide a space to teach young people how to make nutritious, practical meals on a budget, before they move out of home.
The library's first floor will also include private glass-walled meeting rooms, as well as a makers space containing 3D printers, sewing machines and facilities for art classes.
Downstairs there will be a dedicated paradise for children containing trees and cubbies for playing in.
The area will also have plenty to keep adults happy, including change room facilities, increased seating and instant tea and coffee.
Seating has increased throughout the building, with the library now home to more than 400 seats up from just 130.
Many of these will be in the large circular room facing onto Midland Highway, which has been fitted with a long wooden work table under the windows, which can seat more than 100 people.
Executive manager libraries and lifelong learning Jenny Fink said the new facilities had a "wow factor".
"To all intents and purposes this is a brand new library for Ballarat, it has been meticulously refurbished, I think it looks completely different," Ms Fink said.
"Even though all of these great architectural bones are still here, this is a brand new space."
Ms Fink also highlighted disability improvements that have been made to the library, which included an upgraded lift, and more accessible and gender neutral toilets.
"It's very importantly that this space can be used everywhere so that people don't feel that they can't use the first floor, we want this space to be used by everyone," she said.
Contractors will hand the library over to the City of Ballarat in December 2023, at which point staff will begin bringing shelving units and more than 85,000 items back to the library.
While new furniture will be fitted in early February, 2024.
The temporary Ballarat Library at Town Hall will continue to operate until the new facility is opened to the public.
