The Lawrence Athenaeum & Mining Institute was established in the historic gold rush town in 1865, as it expanded rapidly due to an influx of miners, their families and associated goods and service providers.
Aimed at the "betterment of miners", the Athenaeum was a library and educational hub, providing, as detailed in its 1872 government ordinance, both "intellectual improvement" and "rational amusement and recreation".
For local woman Dorothy Coburn, however, the institute’s main attraction was simply books — and plenty of them.
"I just love books. I suppose we didn’t have many books growing up near Beaumont, so I’ve been an avid reader ever since I could get hold of them.
"I still borrow from the Athenaeum today, although strictly speaking it’s a reference library nowadays."
"We used to have a travelling library in the district, but that disappeared, so I joined the Athenaeum.
"We worked to improve the collection and the library premises here on Ross Pl, knocking out several walls and adapting the spaces.
"I’ve filled most roles during the years, from president downwards, and spent many hours lending out books to locals. I used to say, ‘I don’t care what they read, as long as they read something’."
The biggest threat to the institute came in 1989, when local government amalgamation meant, for the first time, a public library was provided by the council at its service centre.
"We carried on all right for 10 years or so, but eventually had to adapt. So we approached the Lawrence Heritage Trust, who decided to take over the Athenaeum."
That had led to a sideways shift into providing a reference library, and acting as a repository for Lawrence-focused historical documents and oral history.
"We have one of the most exhaustive collections of Lawrence history anywhere, and continue to collate oral history and family documents through the work of our volunteers."
The Athenaeum was funded by "considerable" endowments of land and property, which allowed the institute to offer a local scholarship of $10,000 each year, and fund the publication of books and othermaterials.
Mrs Coburn said she was pleased, if a little bemused, to be the recipient of an honorary planting on Athenaeum land neighbouring the town’s zig-zag track, on November 20.
"It really doesn’t seem like 45 years when it’s such a pleasure."
