Iluka residents rallied to keep its library by turning up in numbers at the councillors’ listening tour last Friday May 12. Councillor Debrah Novak posted on the ‘Iluka community General Q & A, information and concerns’ Facebook page, following the meeting: “All I can say is well done Iluka!!!!” “You came out today, all 100 of you, and it was so great to hear your passion. “Good news from the mayor [Jim Simmons] too: your library is there to stay. “Thanks for making the effort and time to attend and your signs were beautiful. “Thank you for being respectful to the councillors as well, that says a lot about the strength and integrity of your community!” Things weren’t so cut and dry prior to the meeting; however, one resident had posted a response she received from an unnamed councillor prior to the meeting. “Thank you for your correspondence regarding the possible closure of the Iluka Library and its replacement with a mobile service,” the post re-stated. “Councillors will be presented with your views and those of others before reaching a decision about how library services will be provided to the people of Iluka and surrounds into the future. “We appreciate there is community opposition to the library proposal, as there is to many of the other measures we have identified that need to be made to make the organisation financially sustainable and meet the State Government’s Fit for the Future financial benchmarks. “Removing services and facilities the community has come to expect is difficult but is certainly not done without consideration of the impact it might have on the community.”