Burnside Library

Located on the corner of Greenhill and Portrush Roads, it is part of the Burnside Civic Centre.

[7] A resident of Birksgate near Glen Osmond, solicitor Arthur Hardy, built a room on his property (opposite the Toll House on Mount Barker Road) for the purposes of establishing a Mechanics' Institute.

Mechanics' Institutes were an English idea, formed with the philanthropic and rather paternalistic aim of the 'mental improvement of the working man'.

The first in South Australia – the Adelaide Mechanics' Institute – was established in 1838 and initially funded solely by members' subscriptions – 24s a year.

Arthur Hardy's plan was to provide a building for the use of his employees and those living on his property (he operated a quarry and vineyard), and also neighbors and others who wished to use the facility.

According to 'The history and topography of Glen Osmond' 'he only required one restriction, which he thought requisite, ... - that no person should have right to join or remain as a member... without his consent.

Mr. Hardy stated at the same time his wish to make the Institute as generally useful as possible, and expressed his belief that he would not have occasion to exercise the power he retained.

'[8] Interest in the Institute waned between December 1855 and June 1859 but was revived in June 1859 with a lecture on the Crimean war and the gift of 100 volumes from the English political philosopher John Stuart Mill (he also happened to be Arthur Hardy's brother in law).

At the opening the Hon W Morgan MLC made a speech where he said there was no need to enumerate the advantages of such a building – and then proceeded to do just that: people who had children could send them to it for valuable information; ladies whose husbands did not spend all their evenings at home would have the satisfaction of thinking that they were studying in the institute, and bachelors would have a place to profitably pass their leisure hours.

The Glen Osmond Institute moved again in 1965 to its present site near the top of Portrush Road.

Skipper addressed the Council and at the suggestion of Cr Holmes a report was prepared but nothing much happened until 1957 when the mayor, Philip Claridge, revived the idea.

The Council did not need to borrow to establish the library and there was no ratepayer poll or any formal community consultation.

In 1983 an agreement was reached with the former City of Kensington and Norwood for the Home Service to be extended to that Council in return for a financial contribution, and in 1985 a static library was established in the Institute building on The Norwood Parade – the first free public library in that Council.

It recommended the library be expanded to at least twice its present size to maintain existing service levels and to implement an information technology strategy.

By 1995 the library redevelopment had become one of the key strategies of the 'Burnside 2006' strategic plan, which proposed a vision for the future of Burnside.

It said (in part) "That having regard to the extensive consultation process over a twelve-month period Council resolve to proceed with Stage 2 ... with the following modifications: The resolution was passed 9 votes to 4.