Dunedin Public Libraries
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Dunedin Public Libraries Kā Kete Wānaka O Ōtepoti(Māori) |
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| Location | Dunedin, New Zealand |
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| Coordinates | Coordinates: (City library) |
| Established | 1908 |
| Number of branches | 5 + 2 mobile |
| Collection size | 700,000 items |
| Website | www.dunedinlibraries.govt.nz |
Dunedin Public Libraries is a network of five libraries and two bookbuses in Dunedin, New Zealand, owned and operated by the Dunedin City Council. The libraries collection includes over 700,000 items, and around 30,000 books and audiovisual items plus 15,000 magazines are added each year.[1] Members can borrow or return items from any library or bookbuses in the network.
Contents |
[edit] History
[edit] City Library
Dunedin's first Free Public Library opened on 2 December 1908, funded by a ₤10,000 grant from American philanthropist Andrew Carnegie.[2] Situated at 110 Moray Place, the library offered a reference service only.
In 1910 a Children’s Reading Room opened and then the Children’s lending Library. In 1911 lending services began for adults. In 1913, Dr. Robert McNab presented his collection of 4,200 volumes of early voyages and New Zealand history to the library, which later became the basis of the McNab New Zealand collection.
Other major donations were the Walt Whitman Collection (Mrs. J. W. Stewart) in 1927 and the Alfred and Isabel Reed Collection including Bibles, early printing and manuscripts, Dickens and Johnston works in 1947.
In 1936 the Library adopted its rental policy, whereby certain items would no longer be free. This included popular works of fiction, as well as certain magazine titles. The Library's first hospital service was started in 1938. 1950 saw more expanded services offered, with the addition of a Bookbus service and the unveiling of its Gramophone collection. Today this collection has been expanded to included DVDs, Videos, CDs, and other Audio Visual Items.
In 1969 the first Housebound Readers Service was opened. In 1976 a second Bookbus was added, and the Children's Library had its very own card catalogue. Further children's services were offered in the following years, including Get Well bags in 1979.
Dunedin Public Library moved to its current location at 230 Moray Place in 1981. In 1982 the automated circulation system was installed. The first fully computerised Library Management System was installed in 1993. The Taiehu Collection of Maoritanga was launched in 1986. Taiehu was a Maori chief who brought one of the first canoes to New Zealand.
With local authority amalgamation in 1989, Dunedin Public Library became part of the Dunedin Public Libraries network. Two new Bookbuses were purchased in 1991 and the service was expanded to around 50 locations.
In 1998 a major redevelopment of the Library was undertaken, with all the adult non-fiction lending collections combined, the opening up of three adult stack areas for improved public access to the collections, and the creation of a greatly expanded Audio-Visual area to reflect the increased use of these collections.
Key events that have taken place include:
- 1908 The Library opened its doors to the public on 2 December. The Librarian was Scottish-born William Barker McEwan.
- 1910 The Children’s Reading Room opened, providing both reference and lending services to children aged 10 and over. The age limit would subsequently be lowered.
- 1911 The Lending Library for adults opened (so children were able to borrow books before this privilege was extended to adults).
- 1913 Robert McNab offered his library to the City. At that time the collection amounted to 4200 items. Careful development has seen it grow to over 92,000.
- 1919 All but two of the staff were laid low with influenza, and the Library was closed for a month.
- 1933 Archie Dunningham became City Librarian.
- 1936 Dorothy Neal, later Dorothy Neal White and later still Dorothy Neal White Ballantyne, became Children’s Librarian. She would become one of New Zealand’s greatest-ever children’s librarians and advocates for children’s books. Also in that year the free/rental policy (which still persists) was introduced, the Library Bindery was established, and the collection of sheet music began.
- 1938 The Hospital Library Service began at the Public Hospital.
- 1939 The framed pictures lending service began, and the Children’s Library moved to the Club House building in Moray Place.
- 1946 The Children’s Library was relocated to Stuart Street.
- 1947 The Alfred and Isabel Reed Collection was gifted to the City.
- 1950 The Book Bus service began.
- 1960 Ada Fache became City Librarian.
- 1968 Mary Ronnie became City Librarian.
- 1969 The House-bound Readers’ service began.
- 1976 Michael Wooliscroft became City Librarian.
- 1981 The present Library building opened.
- 1987 Norah Familton became City Librarian.
- 1989 Allison Dobbie became City Librarian, the Colin McCahon painting Otago Peninsula was bequeathed to the Library, and local body amalgamation brought the Mosgiel, Port Chalmers, Blueskin Bay, and Waikouaiti Libraries into the Dunedin Public Libraries network.
- 1993 The present Dynix automated library system was introduced.
- 2001 The LearnIT Centre, offering free Internet access, was opened.
- 2002 Bernie Hawke became City Librarian.
- 2003 The new Reed Gallery opened on the third floor.
- 2008 We celebrate our Centenary, and look forward to another century of progress and service to the people of Dunedin!
[edit] Mosgiel Library
From as early as 1881 Mosgiel has had a functioning library. It was not until 1959 that the Mosgiel Public Library was officially opened, in the Electrical Refrigeration premises. Since then, the library has relocated twice – firstly to Souters Exchange building, and in 1979 to its present location on Hartstonge Ave.
In 1989, Mosgiel Borough was amalgamated with Dunedin City, St Kilda Borough, Green Island Borough and Silverpeaks County. The Mosgiel Public Library became part of the Dunedin Public Libraries network, opening up access to items held by all the libraries involved. This access was further enhanced with the introduction of a computerised system in 1993.
In 1999 the library took over responsibility for the Dunedin City Council Service Centre, ensuring that a DCC Customer Services presence stayed in the community.
[edit] Port Chalmers Library
Port Chalmers Mechanics Institute started in 1864, and became the Port Chalmers Public Library under the direct control of the Borough Council in 1943. The library was eventually housed in the Town Hall building. In 1989 the library joined the Dunedin Public Libraries network as a result of local authority amalgamation.
In 2004 the Port Chalmers Library and Service Centre was completely refurbished by the Dunedin City Council. Extensive consultation with the Historic Places Trust meant the historic facade and many interesting internal features could be retained. A number of art works have been added to the library collection, including works by Ralph Hotere, David Elliot, Robyn Belton, and Pamela Brown.
[edit] Waikouaiti Library
The Waikouaiti Library was founded in 1862 by Rev A Fenton and Miss Emily Orbell and began with 100 books half of them given by Mr Fenton in the school room in Beach Street. His successor the Rv A Dasent took charge in 1863 and was Chairman of the library committee for 11 years. The Library later moved to Mechanics' Hall in 1875 and from this time a committee of seven was elected annual by the subscribers to the Library, and the subscription was lowered from one pound to ten shillings.
In 1905 a new book room 24 feet by 9 feet was built as a connection between the librarian's cottage and the hall on the north side. By 1913 there were 107 subscribers and over 3000 books. In the late sixties the County Council took over responsibility for the Hall and the Library. The committee continued to meet until 1974 as a County Council committee, and then the Library was quite on its own. It was visibly separated from the Hall also, because in that year the books were moved across the street to the RSA Community Centre, while the former library buildings were replaced by a chemist's shop, doctors rooms, and meeting rooms.
From around 2000 in 1970 issues were up to 22,000 a year by May 1988. Unfortunately the building soon began to need frequent maintenance, and it was obvious it was not a suitable place for a library which was expanding dramatically now that Waikouaiti was part of Dunedin City. With amalgamation the Library subsequently joined the Dunedin Public Libraries network in 1989. The Community Centre was demolished and a new Waikouaiti Library built in the last weeks of 1995.[3]
[edit] Blueskin Bay Library
Blueskin Bay Library opened in the school house in 1871. It moved to a separate building in 1903 and to the public hall in 1972. Both Waitati and Waikouaiti Libraries were administered by Silverpeaks County prior to local government amalgamation in 1989. Blueskin Bay Library was constructed in 1992 as an extension to the Waitati Hall.
[edit] Bookbuses
The Library Committee bought a passenger bus in 1949 and equipped it for use as a traveling library. The first distribution of books was made on 17 April 1950. In 1991 two new Bookbuses were commissioned. They were painted with colourful scenes, one featuring penguins and the countryside and one a cityscape. The two Bookbuses currently visit customers in 51 locations throughout the city offering fiction, non-fiction and reference books for children and adults, large print, talking books, audio-visual material (on request) and magazines.
[edit] Branches
- City - Moray Place
- Mosgiel
- Waikouaiti
- Port Chalmers
- Blueskin Bay
- two bookbuses (visiting 51 locations weekly)
[edit] Heritage Collections
Dunedin Public Libraries has two specialist Heritage Collections both are located on the third floor of the City Library.
The McNab New Zealand Collection contains around 83,000 items relating to the history of the New Zealand and Pacific regions. The Alfred and Isabel Reed Collection contains around 10,000 items dating from the tenth century to the present day relating to literature, religion, and the history of the book.
The heritage collections are open to the public, but items can only be used within the third floor of the City Library and they are not available for borrowing to take home. There is also a collection of art works used to beautify spaces within the libraries.
[edit] References
- ^ How the Library Works. Dunedin City Council. Retrieved on 2008-04-30.
- ^ Frame, Barbara (February 2008). "100 Years!". the word: p.7.
- ^ Angus, Janet (February 1996). "A Brief History Of The Waikouaiti Library!".
