LIBRARY FULL OF GOODIES

The adage that “Good things come to those who wait” can certainly be trotted out for the new City Library – Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui (‘the window to the wider world’). But it still seems like a very long time since it closed in March 2019 when a seismic assessment ruled that it was unsafe.
The “good things” in the refurbished building were revealed to a group of Age Concern Wellington Region clients and some staff members on a walkthrough in late February. It was amazing!
The overall impression was one of large airy spaces dominated by reassuring seismic strengthening steel trusses, but with a lot more natural light than the pre-2019 version.
The number of books on display totals around 250,000, with the balance of over 150,000 in store but available on request. Even so, there is a wide range of material spread through different sections including magazines, newspapers, reference books for everything, CDs and vinyl records with players, comics, video games, books in different languages and much more.
The reduction in the number of books on display makes way for more reading and meeting spaces as well as a host of new dedicated spaces for a range of activities that, traditionally, could be considered as outside the usual run of library features.
The Makerspace is the most obvious, stocked with a whole range of equipment to satisfy those with a creative arts and crafts flair. There are 3D printers, sewing machines, overlockers, a weaving loom, a wood carving machine and various cutting machines for a variety of different materials – to name a few. The big attraction is that there should be library staff there to instruct customers on the use of all of these.
We were told that there were also wet and dry rooms for crafts that require those environs. In addition, there is an audio/visual for recording music and videos, a music room with some instruments available, a small art gallery, and any number of meeting rooms for most occasions.
Kids are well provided for as well with a large area set aside for them in conjunction with an indoor play space for children under five for Capital E. The number of books in the children’s library has also been reduced but still with plenty to choose from.
The new library caters for the digital age with computer power points galore in all the reading spaces, plus a digital self-checkout system.
If you find yourself overwhelmed by all the information available you can restore your energy at the café on the ground floor or just stand and admire the art installation in the entrance way, or the “Earth Mothers” in the multi-purpose Spirit Room – another space for meetings in various formats.
The library reopens on 14 March with a special opening celebration in mid-April.