Innovative new library opens in Hakeke Street
Published on 23 January 2019
Whanganui District Library, in partnership with the Whanganui Advocacy and Support Trust (WAST) community centre, opened the new Hakeke Street Library in Whanganui East today.
The library is self-service, with WAST staff providing basic assistance for library members during opening hours (9.00am-1.00pm weekdays, except Wednesdays).
Whanganui District Council Libraries and Community Manager Pete Gray says, “Having access to books enriches lives and it’s great to be able to put this library in place for the Whanganui East community to enjoy”.
“As far as we know, this is the first suburban self-service library in New Zealand, and we are proud to have pioneered this innovative way of giving people greater access to our collection,” says Mr Gray.
Mayor Hamish McDouall, who spoke at the opening ceremony, acknowledged the contribution of WAST’s founding trustee Marie Butturini, and said this was “an overwhelmingly positive collaboration and a great example of community building”.
The Hakeke Street Library is stocked with 2,000 adult and children’s fiction and non-fiction books, with a focus on the most popular titles, and the library’s free Internet on Demand service is available with three desktop PCs and free wifi internet access.
A range of library services is available – the self-service machine can be used for issuing and returning books and paying overdue charges by eftpos, and a touchscreen PC can be used to log into library accounts and search for books and reserve them (for delivery at Hakeke Street). People who are not yet library members can join at Hakeke Street Library – library membership is free.
The mobile library service will regularly refresh the collection.
Mr Gray says, “This local library is just the first. We have plans to introduce self-service libraries to other suburbs throughout the city over the next year or two and would be pleased to hear from any organisation or business interested in being part of the roll-out.”
