ABOUT THE LIBRARY 

Library History

The Gascoyne Library was founded in 1887, and first housed in the Jubilee Hall on Francis Street, Carnarvon. The building was also the host of Carnarvon Municipal Council meetings from 1891.

At the 15 September meeting 1952, the Library Board of WA invited Carnarvon Municipal Council to nominate to become a public library.  It was on this date that the Council resolved to put forward an application.

The Jubilee Hall ceased to function as a Council Chambers on 4 September 1965 and as a library in 1973 when the new Gascoyne Library opened on Stuart Street.

The new Carnarvon District Library was officially opened on 21 March 1973 by Mrs. Elizabeth Gooch of Manberry Station, Carnarvon, when she unveiled a commemorative plaque to mark the occasion.  The library was later named the George Gooch Memorial Library.

In 1985, the Library Board resolved that Carnarvon District Library should be recognized as an isolated library of strength; as such, on 1 September 1989, Council resolved to accept the Library Board’s offer to provide Regional Library Services to the Gascoyne Area, supporting the Shires of Exmouth, Upper Gascoyne and Shark Bay.

In March 2011, the State Government’s Royalties for Regions’ program, as part of the Gascoyne Revitalisation Plan, committed funding towards creating a library and arts centre for the Gascoyne Region.

The new Carnarvon Library & Art Gallery opened on 25th October 2013 to provide regional library services and resources throughout the Gascoyne.

The $5.6 million upgrade, refurbishment and conversion of the old squash courts building in Carnarvon into the Library and Art Gallery was made possible with $4.64 million of Royalties for Regions funding and funding support from the Shire of Carnarvon.

The building is now an educational, social and cultural hub for residents and visitors alike and incorporates dedicated areas for children and adults, a community lounge space, a meeting room and a public computer zone. The inclusion of a co-located art gallery also creates excellent opportunities to host touring exhibitions, support local regional artists and for tourism and cultural development.

Volunteering

Would you like to help support our programs and services? Join the Friends of Library & Art Gallery!

You can volunteer with our Home Library Service, Children's programs, Local History research, and more.

Fill out the Expression of Interest form on the Adults Library Programs page, or see library staff for details.

Disability Access

Carnarvon Library & Art Gallery is equipped to meet the needs of members of the community who may require special accessibility features. The Library has access ramps and bathroom facilities to meet disability access requirements.

The Library offers titles in audio formats, larger print and a DVD Collection. A Home Library Service is available to patrons who are unable to make the journey to the Library, as well as a digital E-Resource Collection you can access from anywhere with an internet connection. For further information, please contact the Library.

Justice of the Peace

Starting in April 2025, Carnarvon Library & Art Gallery is happy to announce the start of a free visiting Justice of the Peace service! On the Tuesday's below from 11am-1pm, just drop into the library with your documents - no appointment necessary! A Justice of the Peace can: - witness affidavits. - witness statutory declarations. - certify documents. UPCOMING AVAILABILITY June 24th July 1st 8th 15th 22nd 29th

Calendar of Events

To see upcoming events at Carnarvon Library & Art Gallery, you can head to our Events page. The Shire of Carnarvon also has an Events page for the broader Carnarvon region. If you are looking for other local community events, you can do a search for local community groups on Facebook, and look for posters in the windows of local businesses!

Library Newsletter

Scroll down to the News section of our homepage to register for our Newsletter!

Quick Survey

During our Library Lovers Day 2025 celebrations, we launched a quick community survey for people to provide feedback on our current services, and inviting ideas for new initiatives for the future. Thank you to all who submitted their responses - the winner of the $50 Carnarvon shopping voucher will be announced shortly!

Your Library & Art Gallery Team

Our library and art gallery team brings great enthusiasm and passion for delivering excellent customer service and in meeting the needs of our community, patrons, and visitors. 

We look forward to welcoming you soon!

Cheryl Library Services & Programs Coordinator	Elke Library Officer (Part Time)	Gail Early Years Project Officer (Part Time)
Keely Place & Cultural Development Coordinator		Rochelle Art Development Officer (Part Time)
Sofie Media & Arts Engagement Officer	Stephanie Library & Young People's Services Officer	Valentine Library Officer

Mid West Libraries Consortium

Established by the City of Greater Geraldton in 2016, the Consortium includes the City of Greater Geraldton and the Shires of Carnarvon, Chapman Valley, Coorow, Dandaragan, Mingenew, Northampton, Cue, Irwin, Exmouth, Morawa, Useless Loop,  and Mount Magnet. This initiative enables a collaborative approach to the sharing of resources and databases in regional WA, with Library catalogues available online via the Shire websites. You can find out more information about the Mid West Libraries Consortium and read the Terms & Conditions that apply to library patrons of the Consortium at the City of Greater Geraldton Regional Library website.

Contact Us

Head to our Contact Us page for our phone number, email address, and more. We would love to hear from you!