Thursday 5 September 2019

The City of Greater Geelong (CoGG) has taken the precautionary measure of temporarily closing the Geelong West Library after independent testing has today confirmed a contained, moderate growth of mould next to a window in the western end of the library.

The Pakington Street building was not opened today, following an assessment by Environmental Health Solutions.

The contaminated area, on the carpet and below the carpet, is believed to have been impacted by recent stormwater flooding. The assessment found no other areas of the library have been affected.

The building is closed to allow for remediation works to be carried out, including the removal and replacement of the affected carpet. Further specialist testing will be performed before the building is re-opened to the public.

CoGG expects that the building will be closed for up to four weeks. We will continue to provide updates on our website as they are available.

For information about the potential health impacts of exposure to mould, visit www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au. Recent visitors to the library who hold any health concerns are encouraged to consult a GP for medical advice.

Please note that the CoGG Customer Service Centre located within the Geelong Library building is also closed. The nearest alternative Centres are located at 100 Brougham Street, Geelong or 163 High Street, Belmont. Visit www.geelongaustralia.com.au/contact for a full list of locations or to submit an enquiry to CoGG.

Impact of closure on library services

Please note that the returns chute at the branch is currently closed; items can be returned to any other library branch in the region. You can find a list of our branches on our website here.

The closest alternative library branches to Geelong West are:

• Chilwell Library (51 Russell Street, Newtown. T: 4201 0651)
• Geelong Library & Heritage Centre (51 Little Malop Street, Geelong. T: 4201 0600)
• Highton Library (cnr Roslyn and Belle Vue Roads, Highton. T: 4201 0662)
• Belmont Library (163 High Street, Belmont. T: 4201 0665)

From Friday 6 September, any items placed on hold by a Geelong West customer will be re-directed to the Geelong Library & Heritage Centre and held there for collection. If you would prefer to collect your item from another branch, please get in touch and we can arrange this for you.

We regret that any items currently held for collection at Geelong West Library will not be available until the library re-opens. The usual hold period will be extended until such time as the library re-opens.

Programs and events (including regular Book Chat and Story Time sessions) which are scheduled to take place at Geelong West have been suspended until further notice. Please refer to the What’s On section of our website for information about alternative events and programs on offer at nearby branches.

We thank you for your patience and understanding and look forward to welcoming you back to the branch soon.

Please continue to visit our website and social media for updates on progress.