From Canterbury Public Library to Tūranga – 1982 / 2013 / 2018

Tūranga opened on Friday 12 October 2018. We did a bit of a historical re-enactment with the Tūranga staff.

Back in 1982, staff were moving into their fab new digs on Gloucester Street. In 2013, librarians were clearing out stuff from their old workplaces in the Central Library. In 2018, Tūranga staff were excited about opening to the public.

• Picture 1: Canterbury Public Library staff outside the new library building on the corner of Gloucester Street and Oxford Terrace [1982] CCL PhotoCD 11, IMG0091
• Picture 2: Central Library staff, Gloucester Street, 28 September 2013. Flickr 2013-09-28-IMG_9406
• Picture 3: Tūranga staff, Wednesday 10 October 2018. Flickr 2018-IMG_1061

One of the notable features of the old Central Library was the escalator. In Tūranga, there are the mighty Harry Potter-esque stairs.

• Picture 1: Staff group on escalators, Central Library. Flickr CCL-150-702
• Picture 2: Central Library, Saturday 28 September 2013. Flickr 2013-09-28-IMG_9380
• Picture 3: Tūranga staff, Wednesday 10 October 2018. Flickr 2018-IMG_1047

So here it is, in black and white – new central library 1982, Tūranga 2018.

• Picture 1: Canterbury Public Library staff outside the new library building on the corner of Gloucester Street and Oxford Terrace [1982] CCL PhotoCD 11, IMG0091
• Picture 2: Tūranga staff. 60 Cathedral Square. Wednesday 10 October 2018.2018-IMG_0210

And the first customers arriving is the biggest moment of all! We are so happy to welcome you to your new central library, Tūranga.

• Picture 1: Customers waiting to enter library. January 1982. Flickr CCL-150-472
• Picture 2: Customers entering library, 1982. Flickr CCL-150-470
• Picture 3: Customers entering new library, January 1982. Flickr CCL-150-473
• Picture 4: The people arrive in Tūranga. Tūranga opening day. Friday 12 October 2018. Flickr TU-2018-10-12-IMG_1258
• Picture 5: Opening day, Tūranga, Southbase Construction, Friday 12 October 2018.Flickr TU-2018-10-12-146 Photo by Pam Carmichael Photography.
• Picture 6: Customers at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, He Hononga | Connection, Ground Level, Opening day, Tūranga, Southbase Construction, Friday 12 October 2018. Flickr TU-2018-10-12-074 Photo by Pam Carmichael Photography.

More

• Photos of Tūranga staff
• Opening Day Photos
• Photos of Tūranga (including pics from opening day on Friday 12 October)
• About Tūranga
• Central & Transitional – Christchurch City Libraries in the central city since 2011

Christchurch kids! Give Tūranga’s Bookbots Earth names & win prizes! (2 to 31 July)

Kids can win awesome prizes by filling out this special online survey. All you have to do is help name Tūranga’s intergalactic heroes, the Bookbots.

During the month of July, local primary and intermediate students can vote on their favourite names for the digital characters and go in the draw to win prizes, including a real-life interactive robot for their school, with training provided by PBTech, and a class workshop with Imagination Station. Bluetooth speakers from Spark and giant Bookbot wall decals are also up for grabs.

Voting is open to local primary and intermediate students until 31 July 2018 (limited to one entry per student).

• Vote and have your say.
• Read more on Newsline:  Tūranga’s Bookbots seek Earth names

A glimpse of libraries past

As we move ever closer to the opening of Tūranga, it can be interesting to reflect and look back on how far libraries have come in the last few decades. Looking at our fabulous digital collections I hit a fascinating and poignant vein of images of Christchurch libraries past.

Particularly poignant is this image of staff in 1982 outside the new – now old – central library on the corner of Gloucester Street and Oxford Terrace. It feels very symbolic of change, and hope, and the unexpected – and was recreated in 2013.

Canterbury Public Library staff outside the new library building on the corner of Gloucester Street and Oxford Terrace [1982] File Reference CCL PhotoCD 11, IMG0091

Another image shows behind the scenes views of Canterbury Public Library from the 1950s. Lots of stamping and binding and indexing going on! I’m glad to say that our wonderful Bindery is still going strong, but I think we look a little different behind the scenes these days – still heaps of books, but much more technology.

A behind the scenes look at the day to day activities of the Canterbury Public Library 
[1954]
File Reference CCL PhotoCD 11, IMG0090

Two more views show cataloguing and processing in the 1960s and 1950s. We still do a considerable amount of cataloguing and getting items shelf ready, but we certainly don’t have tables like that any more, nor do we wear the legendary smocks!

The cataloguing and processing department of the Canterbury Public Library moved to the area that was formerly the bindery, who had moved to the ground floor of the library house next door in Cambridge Terrace 
[1967]
File Reference CCL PhotoCD 11, IMG0092

Cataloguing and processing staff of the Canterbury Public Library in their workroom in Cambridge Terrace 
[1953]
File Reference CCL PhotoCD 11, IMG0093

I love looking at photos like this. It’s great to look at where we have come from as we plan our move ahead into the future. However, as much as we have changed, some things do stay the same – piles of books and librarians working hard to connect you with wonderful content.

 

Central Library Manchester – coming soon

Our new temporary Central Library Manchester is scheduled to open Monday 20 January 2014.

It is on the corner of Manchester and Allen Street – close to Moorhouse Avenue. It may also be the only library in New Zealand with a view of a Harley-Davidson shop.

There will be a bit of a collection shuffle as part of this move. Ngā Pounamu Māori and Ngāi Tahu collections at Central Library Peterborough will be unavailable from Monday 13 January to Sunday 19 January 2014 inclusive. Family History, microfilm and microfiche collections at Central Library Peterborough will be unavailable from Thursday 16 January to Sunday 19 January 2014 inclusive. These collections will be available at Central Library Manchester when it opens.

Central Library Manchester will be the place to go for researchers, especially those needing our Māori and Family History resources.

Back to the future – Librarians in 1982 and 2013

Canterbury Public Library staff outside the new library building on the corner of Gloucester Street and Oxford Terrace 1982

Christchurch City Libraries staff reenact the 1982 shot on their final visit to the Central Library on Gloucester Street. And a few of the same staff are present in both shots.

And a flashback to our smocky past.
1968.

2007.

See more photos from our farewell to Central Library on our Flickr.

We’d love you to share your Central Library memories too.

Haere ra Central Library on Gloucester Street

The future plans for the central city mean the Central Library is going to be demolished; we are saying goodbye.

Christchurch City Libraries began in 1859 as a Mechanics Institute collection in temporary premises in the then Town Hall in High Street. In 1863 the library moved to a wooden building on the corner of Hereford Street and Cambridge Terrace. The wooden building was replaced with a handsome brick building in 1901 and this was the Central Library until 1982.

The 4th incarnation of the Central Library – located on the corner of Gloucester Street and Oxford Terrace – opened on 11 January 1982. Warren and Mahoney were the architects and C. S. Luney the principal contractor. Governor-General the Hon. Sir David Beattie officially opened the building on 2 February 1982.

Here are some of the keen first people to arrive.

I started going to the Central Library in Gloucester Street when I moved to Christchurch in the 1990s. I would toddle in once a week for my supply of CDs and books. Later on I was stoked to get a job at Central. I’ve got many good memories of all sorts of things:  talking with customers on the Popular desk on the ground floor, the neat views over Gloucester Street to Cathedral Square, great friends, staffroom chats, oohing and ahhing over new books and CDs and DVDS, breastfeeding my daughter in the sick room, listening to NZ Music Month concerts and author talks. In Central you really did feel part of town’s action and bustle. Central Library staff and customers were (and are) an awesome bunch.

The riverside land the library stands on is required for the planned Convention Centre. A new Central Library is to be built on a site bordered by Gloucester Street, Colombo Street and Cathedral Square.

We’d love you to share your memories and comments at the bottom of this post

Until we are back again in a new Central Library, enjoy our temporary Centrals – Central Library Peterborough, Central Library Tuam (until it closes on 1 November) and the upcoming Central Library Manchester.

More about the Central Library

• Central Library / Te Kete Wānanga o Ōtākaro
• A history of the Central Library building in Gloucester Street, Christchurch
• Booklet published to celebrate the official opening on 2 February 1982 of the new library building at 91 Gloucester Street
• The Library in the heart of the city
• Search our catalogue for stuff about the Central Library

Photos

There are lots more photos of the Central Library on Flickr.

Curious about what the library looked like after the earthquake?

After seeing the disturbing photos of the University of Canterbury Library, we all wondered how the Christchurch City Libraries held up.

For us curious types, here’s some photos of the Central Library after the earthquake, before our intrepid staff started on the big cleanup.

The Central Library will re-open tomorrow, Friday 10 September from 9am to 5pm, and resume normal weekend hours for Saturday and Sunday (10am to 4pm).
Akaroa Library is open today, and we will let you know more about other branches as they are checked and inspected.

Make some noise with Pandemonium this Sunday!

Don’t stay stuck inside on a cold and wet Sunday afternoon.  Come along to the Centre for the Child this Sunday, 23 May and make some noise!  Watch the awesome percussion group Pandemonium make weird and wonderful music from recycled junk.   You can even make your own music and join in with a group jam as instruments are supplied by Pandemonium.

Come along and join us at Central Library, 2-3pm this Sunday, 23 May.

Helen Webby soothes Central Library

Helen in action

Helen Webby charmed a capacity crowd at Central Library this afternoon with a play list of both traditional Celtic, classical and contemporary Kiwi composed pieces. With standing room only (we ran out of chairs!) Helen amply demonstrated the versatility of the harp, at times playful and jaunty while at others delicate and lulling.

Helen, principal harpist with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, played a new composition by guitarist and saddle-maker John Egenes called “The Mule Colt”, a piece Helen describes as having a “groovy feel” and a Midwest swagger.

Anyone unlucky enough to have missed Helen today can catch her at:

• Sumner Library on Friday 15th at 1pm, 
• Fendalton Library on Saturday 16th at 11am
• South Library also on Saturday 16th at 1pm with the added performance bonus of Helen’s students
• Shirley Library on Tuesday 19th at 11am
• Papanui Library on Friday 22nd at 3pm
• Spreydon Library on Tuesday 26th at 11.30am

For more information on Helen go to www.harp.co.nz

Madly looking forward to Music in May

Saturday sees the first New Zealand Music Month performances in libraries and I am uncharacteristically looking forward to working on Saturday in the Central Library because I can also catch Fire Thief .

This trio plays their own material and were great the last time they played in Central – if you like a bit of acoustic pop/rock you’ll like Fire Thief. Are they named after the Terry Deary children’s book? Or am I just a sad old librarian who thinks everything has to be named after a book?