Lightning Talk

Presentation Description:

Library+ Caloundra sprang into life in September 2025, with over 1,000 visitors streaming through the doors in the first hour of opening. Amid the excitement of opening day, it was heart-warming to see the community discover and embrace their new place to gather, learn, and connect.

The grand opening marked the completion of a major capital project – the first new library in the Sunshine Coast local government area in over two decades. More than just a library, Library+ Caloundra is the region’s first fully integrated community facility. Through one door, it brings together library services, meeting and venue spaces, an exhibition space, creative and digital spaces, customer service and administration offices. One more thing to celebrate – it is operationally led by libraries!

How did we get here?
The Library+ Caloundra project is at the heart of the Community and Creative Hub, part of the broader Caloundra Centre Activation Project. The original building, constructed in the 1990s as the Caloundra City Council administration building, was set for repurposing after staff relocation to the newly built Sunshine Coast City Hall.

Preliminary design work began in 2019, with concept plans and a library design brief finalised in early 2021, scaled to meet the needs of the future Caloundra library catchment. The brief was shaped by the Libraries Network Plan and aligned with Queensland and APLA-ALIA published standards and guidelines. Detailed design followed later in 2021, with demolition and construction starting in 2023. By mid-2025, the site was handed back to council ready for final preparations ahead of opening.

But how did we really get here?
Libraries advocated strongly through every step of the project, determined to deliver a world class facility for the Sunshine Coast. The guiding principle was simple: a community-first design with a ‘no wrong door’ customer experience commitment.

Operational planning was embedded early and revisited often, keeping the approach focussed and relevant in a constantly evolving environment. Extensive benchmarking informed the operational management model, which in turn influenced design, equipment and budget decisions.

Challenges were broad and varied – COVID-19 disrupted data-driven analysis, building constraints tested design flexibility, procurement processes stretched timelines, and increasing construction costs demanded compromises. The team navigated shifting economic conditions, changes in organisational leadership, and competing service priorities, making considered decisions on how to adapt the operational approach without risking essential service delivery. Throughout, the team remained anchored to the vision of a seamlessly integrated, community-first facility, guided by the commitment to a ‘no wrong door’ experience.

Libraries influenced the design and fitout, led procurement processes for shelving, equipment and technology, developed operational budgets and staffing models, created new teams, managed a comprehensive change and operational readiness process, coordinated collection relocation, implemented and integrated advanced library technologies, and so much more.

Join us as we share the highlight reel of our challenges, wins, sacrifices, and lessons learned along the way.