Kew Library upgrades

Status 

We’re making much-needed upgrades to Kew Library in 2026 to modernise the space and improve the experience for all library users.

The library will close from 5 pm Sunday 1 March 2026 and is expected to reopen in early 2027. A temporary site will be available at Kew Court House.  

About the project

We’re making much-needed upgrades to Kew Library starting in early 2026. 

The library will temporarily close in early 2026. It will reopen in early 2027 once the upgrades are complete. 

To modernise the space and improve the experience for library visitors, we will be:

• replacing the roof and sewer
• upgrading to electric heating and cooling
• upgrading Radio Frequency Identification equipment, to enable bulk book returns
• upgrading the electrical switchboard
• upgrading lighting
• replacing the library shelving and carpet
• improving access to power points and Wi-Fi.

Timeline

Temporary library at Kew Court House

To make sure you can keep using your local library, we’re opening a temporary site at Kew Court House from Wednesday 25 February.

The temporary library lets you continue to use library services during the upgrade. You can:

• browse a limited collection
• borrow and return items
• collect reservations
• take part in community programs.

We’re opening the temporary library before Kew Library closes, so services continue without interruption.

Visit the temporary library

Location: Kew Court House, 188 High Street, Kew.

Opening hours:

• Monday to Friday from 10 am to 6 pm.
• Saturday from 10 am to 1 pm.

You can collect reservations starting from Monday 2 March at Kew Court House.

Kew Court House is a 7-minute walk from Kew Library.

Getting to Kew Court House

Parking is available:

• on High Street
• on Cotham Road
• in the Leo’s Supermarket car park
• next to the playground at Fenton Reserve.

The Route 48 tram stops outside Kew Court House on High Street. The Route 109 tram stops around the corner on Cotham Road.

Refreshing our book collection

When we reopen in 2027, you’ll find an up-to-date collection that reflects what our community enjoys most, with spaces created for programming, study and remote working.

Kew Library Master Plan

We're developing a long-term master plan to help guide the future of Kew Library and deliver on what’s important to our community.

The master plan will guide the creation of a modern library that connects with the surrounding precinct, parkland and streetscape, making it a destination point for the community.

We’re working with an architect to develop a draft master plan and will share this with the community for feedback in mid-2026.

The Victorian Government’s Living Libraries Infrastructure Program has awarded a $550,000 grant for this upgrade.

More information

• To receive updates about this project and future consultation about the master plan, visit our Kew Library upgrade page and select the ‘+ Follow’ button.
• Contact our Libraries team on 9278 4444 or [email protected].
• You can visit our other libraries at Ashburton, Balwyn, Camberwell, Greythorn or Hawthorn and can continue to access a huge range of free online resources. Find more details at our Libraries page.