Library of the Issue
This new column features libraries from around New Zealand and the Pacific. This is a place to proudly share your libraries and whare taonga. What is special about your building or spaces, your communities and staff? What initiatives, programmes or services will our readers be keen to learn about?
If you are interested in having your library featured get in touch.
If you are interested in having your library featured get in touch.
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Rakiura Stewart Island Community Library
People have lived on Stewart Island since the 13th Century, when the Māori named it Rakiura, meaning “Land of the Glowing Skies”. Although the island has a total area of 172 square kilometres (similar in size to Singapore), its 400 inhabitants are concentrated around the township of Oban. The island’s first library, the Stewart Island Athenaeum, opened in 1885. The current library is in the Stewart Island Community Centre which opened in 1999. Kirsten Hicks explains more about New Zealand’s southern-most library. READ MORE > |
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Te Awe Library - Wellington
Te Awe Library is the third and final pop-up library to open in the Wellington CBD following the unexpected closure of the Wellington Central Library Te Matapihi Ki Te Ao Nui in March 2019. The library is located in the Harbour City building running between Panama and Brandon Streets, just off Lambton Quay and opened in July, 2020, delayed slightly by the first COVID lockdown. READ MORE > |
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The New Zealand Comics and Cartoon Archive The New Zealand Cartoon Archive was launched on April 1 1992 as a partnership between the New Zealand Cartoon Archive Trust and the Alexander Turnbull Library. Over the archive’s nearly 30-year history it has managed to collect over 60,000 cartoons, covering a range of social and political events across Aotearoa’s history. In 2005, the Cartoon Archive was fully absorbed into the Alexander Turnbull Library, and the trust was replaced with a Guardian’s committee. Then, in 2019 the Guardian’s announced that they were stepping down, and the library took the opportunity to reconsider the scope of the collection. READ MORE > |
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Te Aka Matua Research Library at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
Did you know Te Papa Tongarewa has a library? The Te Aka Matua Research Library has supported the research output of the museum since 1867. It is classified as a special library but is more akin to an academic library in scope. Te Aka Matua is an integral part of Te Papa’s Knowledge and Information offering, which includes library, archives, records management, media assets, intranet, general enquires via the Te Papa website and more. A team of nine information professionals support this mahi. The library itself is staffed by three full-time librarians. READ MORE > |
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Westland District Library
We are delighted to feature Westland District Library in this issue of Library Life. The library supports a community from Hokitika to Haast, on the lovely West Coast. Library manager, Natasha Morris shares what they do and how the New Zealand Libraries Partnership Funding is making a difference to library services on the Coast. Westland District Library serves a population of 8,640. Half live within commutable distance of the library, and usually (weather permitting, bridges and roads intact, no pandemics etc.), there are a significant number of tourists utilising library services too. READ MORE > |
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Library Displays at Unitec Library
Pacific Language weeks, Matariki, Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori, ANZAC Day, exam/study tips, research symposiums and other events such as Pink Shirt Day and Daffodil Day are some initiatives that were celebrated through library displays at Unitec Library last year. We explored new and different ways to promote our library collection to our staff and students to draw attention to the materials we hold in both our library branches at Te Puna and Waitākere Library. This included both digital and physical collections to inform our staff and students that the library offers more than just books. READ MORE > |