Dunedin Public Libraries is a network of five libraries and two bookbuses in
DunedinDunedin , , is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the region of Otago. It has the largest council boundary area of any New Zealand city, and is the hub of the fifth-largest urban area...
,
New ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses , and numerous smaller islands, most notably Stewart Island/Rakiura and the Chatham Islands. The indigenous Māori named New Zealand Aotearoa, commonly translated as The Land of the Long White Cloud...
, 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. Members can borrow or return items from any library or bookbuses in the network.
City Library
Dunedin's first Free Public Library opened on 2 December 1908, funded by a ₤10,000 grant from American philanthropist
Andrew CarnegieAndrew Carnegie was a Scottish industrialist, businessman, entrepreneur, and a major philanthropist....
. 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 McNabDr Robert McNab was a New Zealand lawyer, farmer, historian, and politician of the Liberal Party.He represented the Mataura electorate from 1893 to 1896 when he was defeated by George Frederick Richardson. In 1898 Richardson was adjudged bankrupt...
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
AlfredAlfred Hamish Reed, MBE was a New Zealand publisher, author and entrepreneur. A. H. Reed was born at Hayes, Middlesex, England, on 30 December 1875, the son of James William Reed and Elizabeth Reed. He migrated to New Zealand with his parents in 1887...
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.
- 2006 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!
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.
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 Municipal 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 HotereHone Papita Raukura "Ralph" Hotere is a New Zealand artist of Māori descent . He was born in 1931 in Mitimiti, Northland and He is widely regarded as one of New Zealand's most important living artists...
,
David ElliotDavid Elliot is a New Zealand illustrator, known internationally for his contributions to the Redwall fantasy series by British author, Brian Jacques. He has illustrated the last six Redwall books and also the Mossflower Anniversary Edition...
, Robyn Belton, and Pamela Brown.
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.
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.
Bookbuses
The Library Committee bought a passenger bus in 1949 and equipped it for use as a
traveling libraryA bookmobile or mobile library is a large vehicle designed for use as a library. They are designed to hold books on shelves so that when the vehicle is parked the books can be accessed by readers. They usually have sufficient space that people can also sit and read books inside them...
. 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.
Branches
- City - Moray Place
Moray Place is an octagonal street which surrounds the city centre of Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand. The street is intersected by Stuart Street , Princes Street and George Street...
- Mosgiel
Mosgiel is an urban satellite of Dunedin in Otago, New Zealand, fifteen kilometres southwest of the city's centre. Since the re-organisation of New Zealand local government in 1989 it has been inside the Dunedin City Council area, but was physically separate from the contiguous suburbs until...
- Waikouaiti
Waikouaiti is a small town in East Otago, New Zealand, within the city limits of Dunedin. The town is close to the coast and the mouth of the Waikouaiti River....
- Port Chalmers
Port Chalmers is the main port of the city of Dunedin, New Zealand. Although it has been a suburb since local body reorganisation in the 1980s, it is still regarded by most people throughout Dunedin as a separate town. It has a population of 3,000...
- Blueskin Bay
Blueskin Bay is an estuary in coastal Otago, about 25km north of Dunedin.The name also unofficially describes the rural district which includes the northern slopes of Mount Cargill, the southern slopes of the Kilmog, and the townships of Doctors Point, Waitati, Evansdale, Warrington, and...
- two bookbuses (visiting 51 locations weekly)
Centenary Celebrations
2008 marked Dunedin Public Libraries centenary. Celebrations were held between October & December 2008.
Centenary Events
A number of events were held and included:
- Writing Workshops for Adults & Children
- Follow the Reader - Guided walks that looked at Dunedin's Literary History.
- How we began: the first six years of the Dunedin Public Library - Reed Gallery Exhibition which ran until the end of 2008.
- Blokes in Libraries - Male staff spoke their experiences working in the Library.
- Books Roadshow - A popular 'Antiques Roadshow' styled event.
- The Great Hundred-Year Hunt - A family activity that took folks all over the Library.
- Edwardian Costumes: a Fashion Parade - Examined costumes people wore when they came to the Library in 1908.
- Library Birthday - Tuesday 2 December 2008 - exactly 100 years from the day our first Librarian, William Barker McEwan, opened the doors of the Carnegie Library to the public of Dunedin.
Images from the celebrations can be found on the
Dunedin Public Libraries Flickr photostream.
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.
Reed Gallery
Opened in March 2006 the Reed Gallery fulfills A.H. Reed’s dream of a readily available heritage collection.
Exhibition cabinets, revamped lighting and security have created a professional gallery space meeting international conservation standards, meaning collections can now be properly appreciated.
The space features quarterly exhibitions, some themed, others with a changing “book of the month” display. Some of the material is very interesting, precious or rare, and few people have been able to see it. The area also features a seminar room for lectures and slide shows related to the exhibitions and the heritage collections.
Current Gallery Exhibition
‘Samuel Johnson, 1709–2009: Life & Afterlife’
The latest exhibition of the Dunedin Public Libraries commemorates the birth of critic, poet, lexicographer, and larger-than-life literary personality Dr Samuel Johnson (1709–1784).
The exhibition celebrates not only his achievements, but also his continued legacy that has lasted for centuries. Johnson, unlike a number of his contemporaries, is not just another dead writer. Three hundred years after his birth in Lichfield, England, on 18 September 1709, Johnson continues to exert a strong pull upon the mind and imagination of people such as founder of Reed Publishing and national folk icon, A. H. Reed (1875–1975).
The Dunedin Public currently holds what is the largest concentrated collection of Johnsoniana in an institutional or public library in Australasia, thanks to donations made by Reed and subsequent purchases by the Library.
Among the eighteenth-century items drawn from the collection for display are first editions of Johnson’s ground-breaking Dictionary of the English Language (1755), his ‘Oriental Tale’ Rasselas (1759), and his annotated edition of The Plays of William Shakespeare (1765).
Of the fifty-four items on display, twenty-seven date to the twentieth and twenty-first centuries rather than the eighteenth, ranging from popoular literature to critical editions.
The Reed Gallery exhibition runs through to 1 November 2009 and is free and open to the public.
For more information:
www.dunedinlibraries.govt.nz - ‘Samuel Johnson, 1709–2009: Life & Afterlife’
www.dunedinlibraries.govt.nz - heritage collection
Facebook
Dunedin Public Libraries launched its Facebook page in late December 2008. Videos from the libraries YouTube channel along with pictures from its Flickr photo stream can be found on the Facebook page. To date there has been a positive uptake of this service with Facebook users becoming 'fans' on an almost daily basis. A mixture of events taking place across the library network are publicised via the events tab on the library page. To date current and potential customers have welcomed the libraries presence on Facebook along with the events information on offer.
Flickr
The Dunedin Public Libraries Flickr photo stream was established in January 2008. The library upgraded to a professional account in April 2008. Events that take place across the library network are posted to Flickr. To date no videos have been uploaded with the library opting to post content of this nature to its YouTube channel. The most popular images to date have been exterior photographs of the various library buildings. Various one off musical events also attract high numbers of viewers.
News & Reviews Blog
Originally the library ran two separate blogs - one for news the other reviews. In early 2008 these were merged in to one blog now hosted by Wordpress.com. Items are added to this blog almost daily and it has proven popular with users.
Twitter
The Dunedin Public Libraries Twitter homepage launched in February 2009. To date over 200 users of the service have become 'followers' of the libraries 'tweets'. The majority of the tweets posted to date have covered additions to the collections, library events etc.
YouTube
The Dunedin Public Libraries YouTube channel was launched in May 2008. Twelve months later there are now over 100 video clips available. The video content is drawn from a variety of events around the library network and include the occasional promotional clip of exhibits etc. Musicians and actors who have performed at the library dominate the most watched clips.
External links