General Information
Penrith Library is the central branch of the Penrith City Library service and is the largest of the branches. Covering an area of approximately 3,000 square metres, the Library takes up at least one third of Penrith City Council's Civic Centre which was officially opened on Saturday, 28th May, 1994, by His Excellency Rear Admiral Peter Sinclair AC, Governor of New South Wales.

Collection Strengths
The library provides a wide range of fiction and nonfiction books for all age groups for loan. They include the latest bestsellers as well as established and more recent authors from Australia and overseas. There is also a large range of DVDs and audio cds. The children’s section includes picture books, graded readers, first chapter books as well as titles from the Premiers Reading Challenge list. A growing collection of online resources ranging from e-books to newspaper articles to art works and music performances are available both in the library and from home/office 24/7. The Home Tutor service is available for students from Years 4 to 12 to obtain assistance from Australian tutors via an online messaging service. Online services require a current library card membership number to access. The central branch is the major repository of local history material, housing a comprehensive Local Studies Collection in a separate room. A Technical Library, housed in the same room, is a collection of support material for Council staff. The library provides a photographic database of selected historical photographs. All resources are available via the library catalogue http://opac.penrithcity.nsw.gov.au

Special Features

• Penrith Library Branches have 26 Online Public Access Catalogues (OPACs or computer catalogues) for the public to use to locate material in the collection. Twelve are standalone OPACs and 14 are FreeNet PC's which can also access the catalogue.
• The Penrith branch has four self serve checkout terminals (i.e. borrowers can check their own books out on their way out of the Library).
• The Penrith branch has one self serve checkin terminal (i.e. borrowers can check their own books in).
• Seven PC's are connected to the Library's Online subscription services/free Internet sites network (called FREENET).
• Eighteen Internet terminals are also available for use in the Library - fees and conditions apply.
• Seven IBM PCs with USB ports are available for word processing.
• Printing from FreeNet, Internet and Word processors is available:
  • B/W - A4-25c
  • Full Colour - A4-50c
• The library has three combination colour and B&W photocopiers with various charges:
  • B/W - A4-25c | A3-40c
  • Full Colour - A4-50c | A3-80c.
• Microfiche/film reader/printers are available to view the Library's microform collection.
• Disability Access Equipment is available.
• A community noticeboard gives information about both library and local events, groups and courses.
• A Toy Library is operated by volunteers every Wednesday mornings from 10 am - 12 noon; Thursday afternoons from 3.30 pm - 4.30 pm and Saturdays from 10 am -12 noon.
• Storytime for preschoolers operates every Wednesday between 10.30 am - 11.15 am. Storytime does not operate during school holidays.
• Public toilets and Parent Room facilities are available.