A Brief History of the Rotorua Library
THE LIBRARY AT OHINEMUTU
21 March 1889
·
Some
15 residents met in an old building, firstly the Comet store and later a school,
next to Mrs Morrison’s Hotel at Ohinemutu. They felt the need for a common
meeting ground where they could exchange ideas without formality and it was
proposed to establish a Public Reading Room.
·
Committee
of 12 chosen with Dr Ginders elected as president and Mr J C Blythe as
secretary (he was president later).
·
Name
chosen: The Rotorua Public Library and Reading Room.
·
All
visitors to the district allowed to use the Reading Room free of charge but
according to rules and bylaws to be made.
·
A
subscription list was opened and £25 ($4214.88) and donations of books
and periodicals were given by those present
The
Chairman of the Town Board (Dr Ginders) lent the new institution the use of the
old building and the District Superintendent of Native Schools let them use the
desks and forms from the old schoolhouse. A kerosene lamp and a stove were also
obtained.
THE VICTORIA INSTITUTE
1898
·
Proposals
were made to shift the present building from Ohinemutu to Arawa Street or to
erect part of the new building. The second option was chosen.
·
Plans
were submitted in May and it was nearly completed by October.
·
The
AGM took place in the new Victoria Institute on 10 November and the reading
room was opened to the public 9 days later.
·
Shelving
from the old building was used for the lending section.
·
Miss
Emma Coppell (or Coppel) was appointed caretaker and librarian at £10
per annum ($1545.45) Note this is £2 a
year less than the cleaner was paid in 1890 and £5 less than the custodian in
1891
Municipal
Building on
corner Arawa and Fenton Streets
1940
·
New
Library in Municipal
Building was opened on 14
October 1940.
·
The
Country Library Service also provided advice regarding layout, staff training,
cataloguing and suggested changing the classification system from Bliss to
Dewey.
·
The
Library officially went free (except for light fiction and magazines) on the 17
February 1941 and Country Library Service provided staff to assist with the changeover and loans of
books.
·
There
was no policy for expansion for a children’s library – the books were still
kept in the old building but were shifted to the new library in February 1941.
MASONIC
BUILDING,
FENTON STREET
·
Opened
on 3 August 1970.
·
Throughout
the 1970s and 80s there was increased recognition that the Library was not
adequate and needed expanding and upgrading.
·
February
1972 the NZ Library Association Conference was held in Rotorua.
·
1973
Miss Lesley Armstrong took over as Librarian.
·
In
January 1974 the Library was closed for a week while new carpet was laid. It
was very hot and the workmen opened the front doors putting barriers across to
keep the public out. Some people climbed over them.
When new carpet was laid in 2003 and 2004, the Library stayed open (except for
the area being worked on) and much of the work was done at night.
·
New
hours in January 1974 were 10am to 8pm Monday to Thursday and 10 to 8.30 on
Friday.
HAUPAPA
STREET
(old Government building)
·
Officially
opened by Governor General Dame Catherine Tizard on 16 December 1991 and opened
to the public the following day.
·
Issues
in the year following the move to the new building increased by 34%.
·
Lesley
Armstrong retired as District Librarian after 21 years in December 1994 and was
succeeded by Jane Gilbert (in January
1995).
Pukuatua Street (old Van Dyks)
2016
Opening at our new Temporary Location on 27th July 2016
Come and see it for yourself, you'll be amazed!
Temperatures of 14° Fahrenheit or minus 10° Celsius were reported on in the Hot Lakes Chronicle. At least locals may have been able to warm up at the Priest's Bath and the Sulphur Bath which ranged from 35-41° Celsius.
