Townsville Citylibraries has walked away from the Queensland Public Libraries Association (QPLA) Awards with three top accolades for its service and programs across the city.
The QPLA is an independent body made up of members from Queensland library services which works with the Australian Public Library Alliance, State Library of Queensland and other national bodies to grow and develop library service across the state.
During the QPLA Local Government Awards, Citylibraries was recognised with:
- QPLA Multicultural Excellence Award – Over 35,000 Population for Deadly Digital Program 2025
- QPLA Innovation in Heritage Award – Over 35,000 Population for NQTV Theatrette Collection Launch
- QPLA Local Government Award Library of the Year 2025/26 – Over 35,000 Population for Refurbishing With Purpose - Aitkenvale Library Transformed to Meet Community Needs.
Council Libraries and Community Hubs team manager and QPLA President Nicole Hunt said the awards reflected Citylibraries' commitment to the Townsville and North Queensland community.
"Libraries aren't just a place to borrow books – they're a cornerstone in healthy communities, giving locals and visitors a place to connect, learn, explore and play," Ms Hunt said.
"The community is at the forefront of our decision making, especially for major projects like the Aitkenvale Library transformation.
"The Refurbishing With Purpose project transformed Aitkenvale Library into a flexible, accessible and vibrant space, drawing on feedback from library users, our staff members and other stakeholders.
"The outcome has been worth the effort. Aitkenvale Library now has a flexible layout that we're able to transform easily, defined zones for study, families and programs, wider pathways for better accessibility and a stronger focus on cultural recognition and youth needs.
"We have also been recognised for our Deadly Digital program, which empowered First Nations residents to record oral history to preserve and share their cultural knowledge, as well as our NQTV Theatrette Collection, which gives visitors to the library a view into Townsville's history and the work that has gone into preserving, digitising and presenting the Townsville North Queensland Television collection.
"I am incredibly proud of our team for their work and the recognition they've received."
Acting Mayor Ann-Maree Greaney said Townsville's libraries provided an essential "third place" for community members to enjoy.
"Our primary spaces are our homes, schools and workplaces, but it's so important to have welcoming third places for members of our community to enjoy," Cr Greaney said.
"Libraries are free, they are safe spaces and they cater to all sorts of needs, whether you're looking for a quiet spot to study, a place to learn new skills and meet new friends or somewhere to expand your child's relationship with literacy.
"To say I'm proud of the Townsville Citylibraries team would be an understatement. The work they put into recognising and responding to the needs of our community is extraordinary and these three QPLA awards are very well deserved."
The QPLA Awards' Multicultural Excellence Award is sponsored by Accessible Formats Australia and the Innovation in Heritage Award is sponsored by CAVAL.
Visit our webpage to learn more about Townsville Citylibraries' programs, activities and spaces.
