Altona North's $4.8million library will open to the public at 2pm on March 16.

Hobsons Bay community services director Peter Hunt said the council wanted the building's design to reflect a significant identifiable landmark. "Haskell Architects have used the circles to reflect the distinctive image of the Mobil refinery tanks, which are a prominent feature of the area.

"The council's commitment to the environment is also reflected in the library's design - there are elements such as natural light, rainwater tanks, solar panels, thermal mass walls to trap the heat, and sensored lights that switch off or dim when there is enough natural light."

The library's collection, valued at more than $400,000, includes books, talking books, magazines, DVDs and CDs. "Books in Italian, Arabic and Greek are also available to meet the needs of Altona North and Brooklyn's multicultural community," Mr Hunt said.

Libr ary opening hours will be 9.30-8pm from Monday to Thursday, 9.30-6pm Friday, 10am-4pm Saturday, and 2-5pm Sunday.