Shaping Our Identity: Community Organisations

Ipswich Mechanics' School of Arts
After a somewhat controversial start, the Ipswich Mechanics' School of Arts progressed in 1861. The Moreton Bay Courier reported on 9 February 1861 that:

This institution took its rise from another and less pretending one, called 'The Ipswich Subscription Library and Reading Room,' which was formed on the 14th day of June, 1854. Owing to various causes it was thought desirable to change the name of the Institution, and to add to the Library and Reading Room those greater facilities for improvement generally afforded by institutions wider in there aim and operations. A public meeting was accordingly held on the 11th day of August, 1858; this Society was constituted, and the present piece of ground was granted by the Government.

This new institution had approximately 1200 volumes, including 700 presented to them by the Ipswich Subscription Library and Reading Room.

Interestingly, an advertisement appeared in the Queensland Times on 11 August 1864 advertising the opening of the Ipswich Subscription Library on Saturday, 13 August 1864. This included a circulating library and reading rooms which were to be open daily to subscribers.