Ipswich Municipal Library, corner of Nicholas & Limestone Streets (1971-c.1978)

The Ipswich Municipal Library service relocated to the former St Paul's Young Men's Club (now the Ipswich Community Art Gallery), on the corner of Nicholas and Limestone Streets, in 1971.  It had previously been located on the corner of Nicholas and Brisbane Street (the former Bank of Australasia building),

In 1971, the collection consisted of 22, 048 books, overseen by five staff members.  By 1978, the Library's collection numbered 74,850, with 27,077 of those books aimed at children.  The collection was also diversifying with the addition of magazines, journals, and newspapers, large print books, cassette tapes (with both recreational and informational options available) and framed art prints.

In Council's 1977/1978 Ipswich Yearbook Volume 1, the collection aim was:

to make available books and other materials that will meet the educational, informational, cultural and recreational interests and needs of the people of Ipswich.  In addition, the children's collection aims to stimulate the imagination and mental growth of young readers and to develop an appreciation for literature as well as providing useful information  on how to know and understand the world at large.

Throughout the 1970s, a number of improvements were made to the library service.  The collection was expanded as well as services to meet the specialised needs of the community.  A major change was the abolishment of the subscription fee, which had been in place since the Library opened in 1850, for all Ipswich residents, ratepayers, as well as anyone who worked or attended school or college in the area (those in neighbouring Local Government Areas were still required to pay a fee).  

The introduction of the Ipswich Mobile Library increased access to the collection across the City.  The "Bookmobile" was purchased in 1975 and serviced Gailes, Riverview, Redbank, Booval, Brassall, Churchill, Leichhardt, and Amberley.   The mobile was operated for 22 hours per week, compared to the main Library's 46 hours.  Neither library opened on weekends.

The Home Library service was introduced in 1977.  Each week, volunteers  delivered books to private homes, hospitals, and nursing homes to people who were unable to physically visit the library.