Raymond Terrace Library

Categories: reading, newcastle-and-surrounds

Date: 02 June 2012 03:59:46

Raymond Terrace library, which includes the brick building (labelled Port Stephens Shire Library but not visible in my photo) behind the clock as well as the building with library prominently displayed on the corner (the children's section) only allows 40% of the 100 item limit Treebee discovered at Glenelg: but 40 items, with a maximum of 20 checkouts per visit, is a rather generous amount for me[*] -- though perhaps the nieces may take a large cut of that. And, as well as the 2 libraries here in the local government area of Port Stephens, my membership adds another 11 libraries within the Newcastle region I can use. If you never hear from me again you will know I am drowning in a sea of books and DVDs. The books were slightly oddly arranged as I saw it; I have been used to strict alphabetical order for fiction and strict numerical order thanks to Mr Melvil Dewey for non-fiction. Hardbacks appeared to be separated from paperbacks, and crime fiction had an area all to itself. Non-fiction appeared to be divided into generic sections, a quick glance at which I could not discover the rules behind it: so my heading for the linguistics section [which I know as 410-419 from my love of this area] was thwarted at first as they certainly did not follow close on the heals of the 300s. Is this now common in libraries? Have Fairfield and Liverpool (Sydney's one...) libraries lulled me into a false sense of security, catering for my OCD and need-to-order tendencies, while the rest of the world moved on? I'd be interested to know... One block west of the library and you reach the Hunter River which flows to Newcastle; on a sunny day (of which today was not) I can imagine how busy it might be here with such great views. The Junction Inn Hotel (opened 1836 -- old by Australian standards; it seems to have had a more recent makeover though) is opposite the park on the river, and has an outdoor dining area facing the river which was busy today and which I am sure I will visit one day. Just north of the distant bridge (Fitzgerald Bridge) in the first photo, the Williams river joins the Hunter.

[*] I looked at my old library's website to see what I could borrow in Fairfield: 50 items!!! (maximum of 30 books and 2 DVDs) I had thought it was 10! Oh well: if I move back I will try and make up for the lost opportunities. :)