Community members now have more free spaces to meet, study and access services, with the addition of three new multipurpose meeting rooms at the Casino Library.

The new meeting rooms were officially opened today by Member for Clarence Richie Williamson and Richmond Valley Council Mayor Robert Mustow. The project was funded with a $173,803 grant through the NSW Government’s Public Library Infrastructure Grants program administered by the State Library of NSW.

The rooms provide small, accessible and private spaces for a range of purposes, including telehealth appointments, private study, interviews, and appointments between community members and service organisations.

Across the Casino and Evans Head libraries, bookings for existing rooms have grown from 728 in 2023 to 991 in 2024. These new facilities respond to the community’s increasing need and the growing popularity of the Richmond Upper Clarence Regional Library.

Member for Clarence Richie Williamson said libraries have always been at the heart of local communities — places where people come together to learn, connect and grow. 

“These new meeting rooms at the Casino Library are a wonderful example of how modern libraries are evolving to meet local needs,” Mr Williamson said.

“I’m proud to see NSW Government funding supporting projects like this one, which make a real difference for people in regional areas. Whether it’s for study, telehealth, or a quiet space to meet, these rooms will make the library even more accessible and welcoming for everyone.”

Mayor Robert Mustow paid tribute to the library staff who had helped bring the new facility to fruition and for their work in connecting the community.

“Our library staff do exceptional work, and I am sure these new rooms will further enable them to provide an outstanding service,” Cr Mustow said.

Richmond Valley Council Manager Regional Library, Ngarie Macqueen, said the Regional Library team was proud to provide new shared spaces to the community.

“It is fundamentally important to us that public libraries continue to provide not only access to books, resources, and information, but also accessible and flexible community spaces for all,” Mrs Macqueen said.

Each room accommodates between four and six people and includes access to the library’s free Wi-Fi and loan laptops. Use of the rooms is free for community members and available for commercial hire.

The rooms can be reserved through Council’s SpacetoCo booking portal at https://www.spacetoco.com/org/richmond-valley-council.