Ivanhoe Library turns 60

At a time when local governments were debating spending rate payers’ money on installing sewerage systems or building public libraries, the City of Heidelberg (the forerunner of the City of Banyule)  opened Ivanhoe Library on 8 October 1965.  Public library services in the City date back to the late nineteenth century. They introduced the first bookmobile in Victoria in 1954. 

In February 2021, a new chapter began with the opening of the Ivanhoe Library and Cultural Hub. 

This October YPRL also celebrates 60 years as a Regional Library Service.  

At the same time as the new library was opened Heidelberg City Library became Heidelberg Regional Library. This followed the City of Heidelberg’s agreement with the former Shire of Eltham and the Shire of Diamond Valley. (The Shire of Whittlesea was to come on board in 1976. Yarra Plenty Regional Library was later established in 1996.) 

Located in a prime position at the top of the hill next door to the Town Hall, the original building featured two main floors with a mezzanine floor. Built at a cost of £7,000, it was designed by Architects Leith & Bartlett Pty Ltd. The builders were Neilson & Robinson Pty Ltd of Mordialloc. 

The top floor of the brand-new library also accommodated the Regional Library headquarters “back of house” and administration staff through to the early 1990s. All collection items were catalogued and processed here.

A book lift and two sets of stairs connected the different levels of the building. 

The library was also among the first in Victoria to introduce a computerized catalogue. Later a special room for servers was built as the regional library service expanded to accommodate its library management system.  The Outreach and Mobile library vehicle staff were also based at Ivanhoe Library when not out and about, a base to pick up stock and patron's requests.  

For many years Ivanhoe was a premier library for family history research with dedicated spaces with microfiche collections and later networked indexes and other records. 

Known, especially for its local and family history and Chinese collections, the library also housed a design maker space in later years. With many regular storytimes and events, special programs, student study time, community room learning and meetings – the view from the top floor towards the City made the place feel extra special. 

We made news in 2012 when an overdue book was returned after 27 years.  (It happened again in December 2024 with a book 50 years late.) In 2015 we celebrated Ivanhoe’s 50th birthday with a 1960s theme. 

A Friends of Ivanhoe Library (at one time with over 200 members) advocated for a new library as the 1960s building was no longer fitting community needs. In 2017 the new library was announced. 

With libraries closing in March 2020 due to the State of Emergency announced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a series of 360 photographs were taken as staff prepared to clean out the oldest building in the Region with staff finally vacating at the end of May. 

The long-awaited new library was designed by Croxon Ramsay Architects and incorporates the heritage listed art deco town hall building (which opened in 1937).   

Todays’ building at a cost of over $34 million plays host to hundreds of people every day. Council supported services, include customer service and art gallery spaces.

The library has a popular makerspace and increased spaces and specialist areas  for different community needs better supporting community engagement, learning and a love of reading.   

Like all of our branches, Ivanhoe library provides the space and resources and programs  to help entertain, inform and delight you. Here’s to the next 60 years! 

Enjoy our Flickr album of some photos of Ivanhoe Library 1965-2020

Join us for an afternoon of music, memories and birthday celebration on Thursday 9 October 2025, including a performance by an Elvis tribute artist and a special screening of Driving Connections: 70 Years of YPRL Mobile Library. 

 See you there!