Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō in Levin
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A library service that is very much part of the community, Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō opened ten years ago in a converted supermarket and an extension of the old library. Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō is the community heart and hub of Levin in the lower North Island. It brings together library services, as well as services and facilities for the community, business, youth, and tourism.
The meaning of Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō is the dispersal of knowledge. The takere is also the hull of the waka where treasures are kept for safety. Like the hull of the waka, Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō holds many taonga for the benefit of all. The space is designed around the concept of a twin-hull waka. |
Services to Older Persons Librarian Jen Walton next to the Happy Mail cards
A MULTI-PURPOSE COMMUNITY HUB
Twelve years of campaigning before it opened resulted in a multi-purpose community hub. “All the activities are incorporated into one space, so we epitomise what a community hub is,” says Wendy Fraser, Library Services Manager. Besides library services, the space provides AA Driver and Vehicle Licensing, i-Site Visitor Centre, the Mahi Space (a business hub for small businesses to hold meetings and workshops) the Youth Space and the studio, which hosts Fusion FM a local radio station. There are meeting rooms, a café, and a large area where community events can be held.
While we were in the process of expanding the new library space, organisations like the AA were moving out of Levin, so we incorporated these services into the design. We were run by a Horowhenua Library Trust at the time, which meant we had to raise about 35% of our yearly operating budget so these services were part of that consideration to raise funds.”
A COMMUNITY-OWNED SPACE
For two to three years before Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō was established, there was lots of engagement with the community about what they did, and didn’t, want in their community hub. “It’s how we ended up with a youth space. Through engagement with local schools, colleges and local tertiary providers we found that young people wanted their own stand-alone youth space but still felt it was important to be part of the wider community space. “Everything that we did we did alongside the local iwi. They gifted us the name and drew up the design based on a twin hull waka (drawn on a napkin one evening by the CEO of Te Muaūpoko Tribal authority and the ex-Horowhenua Library Trust CEO, Joanne Ransom.)”
“Our whole mantra is to say yes and then figure out how to do it afterwards. It’s a yes mentality. For instance, the AA only came in late in the design, so we had to build the AA booth for people to sit their license. It was either incorporate it into Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō or lose the service to out of town.”
“From the start, we had enormous buy-in from the community. As we were under a trust, we received a lot of community support and donations as well as support from the council. We had things like a coffee club where people could donate the cost of a coffee every week – little things like that where the community all felt like they were part of the journey and that this was their place.”
This was a great kaupapa because ten years later – it’s still like that.
The success of Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō was established early, with half a million visitors in the first year of the new centre, which was nearly five times the number of visitors than in the previous year to the old Levin Library.
Twelve years of campaigning before it opened resulted in a multi-purpose community hub. “All the activities are incorporated into one space, so we epitomise what a community hub is,” says Wendy Fraser, Library Services Manager. Besides library services, the space provides AA Driver and Vehicle Licensing, i-Site Visitor Centre, the Mahi Space (a business hub for small businesses to hold meetings and workshops) the Youth Space and the studio, which hosts Fusion FM a local radio station. There are meeting rooms, a café, and a large area where community events can be held.
While we were in the process of expanding the new library space, organisations like the AA were moving out of Levin, so we incorporated these services into the design. We were run by a Horowhenua Library Trust at the time, which meant we had to raise about 35% of our yearly operating budget so these services were part of that consideration to raise funds.”
A COMMUNITY-OWNED SPACE
For two to three years before Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō was established, there was lots of engagement with the community about what they did, and didn’t, want in their community hub. “It’s how we ended up with a youth space. Through engagement with local schools, colleges and local tertiary providers we found that young people wanted their own stand-alone youth space but still felt it was important to be part of the wider community space. “Everything that we did we did alongside the local iwi. They gifted us the name and drew up the design based on a twin hull waka (drawn on a napkin one evening by the CEO of Te Muaūpoko Tribal authority and the ex-Horowhenua Library Trust CEO, Joanne Ransom.)”
“Our whole mantra is to say yes and then figure out how to do it afterwards. It’s a yes mentality. For instance, the AA only came in late in the design, so we had to build the AA booth for people to sit their license. It was either incorporate it into Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō or lose the service to out of town.”
“From the start, we had enormous buy-in from the community. As we were under a trust, we received a lot of community support and donations as well as support from the council. We had things like a coffee club where people could donate the cost of a coffee every week – little things like that where the community all felt like they were part of the journey and that this was their place.”
This was a great kaupapa because ten years later – it’s still like that.
The success of Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō was established early, with half a million visitors in the first year of the new centre, which was nearly five times the number of visitors than in the previous year to the old Levin Library.
The space is based on a twin hull waka
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The entrance way to the centre
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A COUNCIL FACILITY FROM 2016
Setting up new non-library services was eye-opening for library staff as they were required to develop new policies and systems to support the extended services. Coming back under the council in 2016 the focus for library staff has returned to library and community services, and customer services staff manage the operations and services. However, all staff need some level of library skills. Training is therefore a key consideration. Thanks to previous library manager Rosalie Blake’s philosophy, the small library team are versatile and able to work collaboratively across the different facilities, services, programmes and events. An added bonus for being a council facility is that library staff can now take part in the wider council networks, training and activities.
Setting up new non-library services was eye-opening for library staff as they were required to develop new policies and systems to support the extended services. Coming back under the council in 2016 the focus for library staff has returned to library and community services, and customer services staff manage the operations and services. However, all staff need some level of library skills. Training is therefore a key consideration. Thanks to previous library manager Rosalie Blake’s philosophy, the small library team are versatile and able to work collaboratively across the different facilities, services, programmes and events. An added bonus for being a council facility is that library staff can now take part in the wider council networks, training and activities.
NEW SERVICES AND PROGRAMMES
The programmes delivered are diverse. Happy Mail is a recent activity set up by the Services to Older Adults Librarian to encourage the community to make Christmas cards and spread some cheer for those who may feel lonely or isolated during the holiday season. Craft events were held in the library and attracted local early childhood centres, schools, and other members of the community. In its second year now, 600 cards were delivered to older persons in the local Horowhenua Rest Homes. Future programming includes Rainbow Storytimes, Steam Train Adventure and Picnic, Chinese New Year celebrations and highly anticipated performances from the Ugly Shakespeare Company.
The programmes delivered are diverse. Happy Mail is a recent activity set up by the Services to Older Adults Librarian to encourage the community to make Christmas cards and spread some cheer for those who may feel lonely or isolated during the holiday season. Craft events were held in the library and attracted local early childhood centres, schools, and other members of the community. In its second year now, 600 cards were delivered to older persons in the local Horowhenua Rest Homes. Future programming includes Rainbow Storytimes, Steam Train Adventure and Picnic, Chinese New Year celebrations and highly anticipated performances from the Ugly Shakespeare Company.
A new digital inclusion programme was developed with New Zealand Libraries Partnership Programme (NZLPP) funding in 2021. Offering free literacy programmes, Senior Net technology sessions, digital drop-ins, and internet safety for seniors, it’s a key focus for the whole library. This kaupapa was instrumental in assisting nearly 3,000 Horowhenua residents to get their vaccine pass.
The attached Youth Space is an added bonus to the library and is currently overseen by Libraries Horowhenua. An example of council-wide collaboration is their Matariki programme. A whakairo project in the Youth Space during Matariki was a result of the Youth Space coordinator collaborating with local colleges and the local iwi to give young people the opportunity to connect with their culture. The young people involved came into the Youth Space every day to work on their Matariki whakairo. It proudly hangs in the Youth Space entrance for all to appreciate. “It started as a little project but just grew and grew. Whānau, the Mayor and council CEO came for the unveiling where the young people were acknowledged and felt very proud,” Wendy Fraser says.
The Chinese community garden was developed in response to a request from the local Chinese community and is used for children’s activities and the yearly celebrations of Chinese New Year. The library also celebrates Diwali and other cultural events. “One of the reasons I think we’ve been so successful is that we have had the buy-in from our community from the beginning and because we have a yes culture here. We are very responsive to changes within our community and their needs, we reflect what our community is.
The attached Youth Space is an added bonus to the library and is currently overseen by Libraries Horowhenua. An example of council-wide collaboration is their Matariki programme. A whakairo project in the Youth Space during Matariki was a result of the Youth Space coordinator collaborating with local colleges and the local iwi to give young people the opportunity to connect with their culture. The young people involved came into the Youth Space every day to work on their Matariki whakairo. It proudly hangs in the Youth Space entrance for all to appreciate. “It started as a little project but just grew and grew. Whānau, the Mayor and council CEO came for the unveiling where the young people were acknowledged and felt very proud,” Wendy Fraser says.
The Chinese community garden was developed in response to a request from the local Chinese community and is used for children’s activities and the yearly celebrations of Chinese New Year. The library also celebrates Diwali and other cultural events. “One of the reasons I think we’ve been so successful is that we have had the buy-in from our community from the beginning and because we have a yes culture here. We are very responsive to changes within our community and their needs, we reflect what our community is.
