Despite associations with heavy silence and being shushed by old librarians, Launceston Library manager Garry Conroy-Cooper said today, libraries are a hive of activity.

"I'm from a generations that when using libraries as a kid, as a student, as a young professional, it was all about being quiet," he said.

"But when you've got 1300 to 1500 people a day walking through the door, you're not going to be quiet. Humans interacting makes noise.

"That's what this place is for - it's a gathering point for humans and for communities.

"Libraries are not quiet spaces."

Libraries have a diverse client base, he said.

"With the diversity of our client base, there isn't a cookie cutter client."

"The library is a really interesting space for people in support accommodation, who who might be experiencing homelessness.

"The library is a safe place. You're not going to be hasselled or moved on, you're not going to be asked what you're doing here or made to buy something.

"If you want to sit in a chair because it's a safe place on a cold winter's day, or in the heat of summer, it's a safe place to be."

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He said it was also a good place to come for people who may be feeling isolated in life.

"They could come to the library and do whatever they need to do. Because they're among people, we know the positive mental health outcomes that come with being part of a social experience. They might not engage with it, but they're still part of it," he said.

"We help people work through being isolated in their communities."

The public library industry in Australia is booming, Mr Conroy-Cooper said.

"New buildings are being built, politicians are recognising how important the library is to the community experience. It has a cultural and economic role.

"We know in the 2019/2019 financial year, we got up to 314,000 visits to this building. This is probably the most popular space in greater Launceston where you don't have to buy anything.

"I was checking statistics and that trend has continued, yet the population has only grown by about 1 per cent.

"We know that the internet has impacted on our services. It's not just about books, it's about all those digital, virtual ways of delivering cultural content in the age of the internet."

Libraries also have a large diversity in their staff.

"We have people here who come from the corporate sector, who come from marketing, the environmental sciences," he said.

"Having that diversity of personnel reflects the diversity in our client base, reflects the diversity in our communities.

"It also helps us be information about what our clients may want into the future.

"Of course, as well, we have volunteers. We have volunteers from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds, with different educational background, different life experiences, different ages.

"They involved in all sorts of things at the library and deliver services to clients."

The Launceston Library has a big economic impact, Mr Conroy-Cooper said.

"When you've got 314,000 people physically coming to visit this building in a year, what else are those people doing?"

"If you're coming from out of town, they might be parking their cars, catching public transport, consuming food.

"Libraries actually play a fundamental role in the economic life of the community.

"The Launceston Library, for example, makes an economic contribution of between $13 and $14 million per year."

Of course, books are still an integral part of libraries.

"Books have been part of libraries for millenia, and they still are part of it," Mr Conroy-Cooper said.

"But I was thinking, what are the other things aside from books that we have?"

Some things people may not know about include video games, music, eBooks, and magazines.

"We have tens of thousands of eBooks. It was said the invention of eBooks would destroy books and destroy libraries - obviously that hasn't happened yet," he said.

"We have about 20,000 eBooks that can be downloaded to decides for all ages, including for kids. Some other things we have are graphic novels, we've got magazines."

The library also offers things such as children's school holiday activities, technology sessions, and seminars.

Vist the Launceston Library in Civic Square or online at libraries.tas.gov.au to explore all of what it has to offer.