Wellington City Libraries facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Wellington City Libraries
Established	1893
Location	Wellington, New Zealand
Branches	13
Collection
Size	720,000 items
Website	http://www.wcl.govt.nz

Wellington City Libraries is the public library service for Wellington, New Zealand. It helps people find books, learn new things, and connect with their community.

The Story of Wellington Central Library

The main public library in Wellington has a long history. It first opened in 1893. This first library was on the corner of Mercer and Wakefield Streets. A famous architect named William Crichton designed it.

This original building was taken down in 1945. People said it was because of worries about earthquakes. The land where it stood is now used by the City Council buildings.

In 1937, a new central library opened. It was located between Mercer and Harris streets. Later, this building became the City Gallery Wellington.

A Modern Library for Wellington

In 1991, a brand new central library opened. This building is on Victoria and Mercer Streets. It sits next to the Civic Square. Ian Athfield, a well-known architect, designed this modern building.

The library has three main floors for visitors. The ground floor is where you find fiction books. It also has the Sound and Vision centre. This is where you can find movies and music. The Young Adult and Children's collections are also on this floor.

The first floor holds books about science, humanities, arts, music, and literature. On the second floor, you can find books about travel, history, and New Zealand. There is also a basement level. This area is used for parking and daily library tasks.

A bridge once connected the library to the Wellington City Council building. This bridge was removed in 2013. It was taken down because it was also at risk from earthquakes.

Awards for the Library

The Wellington Central Library has won some cool awards. It received two New Zealand architectural awards. In 1992, it won the Environmental Award. The next year, it won the National Award for Architecture.

In 2006, the New Zealand Music Board gave the library an excellence award. This was for its "Sing along with Stu" storytime program. This program helped kids enjoy music and stories.

Central Library Closure

On March 19, 2019, the Wellington City Council made a big decision. They closed the Central Library. Engineers advised that the building was not safe enough. It might not be strong in a big earthquake.

Because of this, two new "pop-up" libraries opened. These are temporary libraries in central Wellington.

• Arapaki Manners Library opened in May 2019.
• He Matapihi Molesworth Library opened in October 2019.

These new libraries are smaller than the old Central Library. They do not have as many reading rooms. They also have shorter opening hours. A third new library, Te Awe Library, is planned for central Wellington. It is expected to open in May 2020.

The Central Library's huge collection of 400,000 items needed a new home. A special centre in Johnsonville now stores these items. It helps get books ready for the other branches.

Library Branches Around Wellington

Wellington City Libraries has 13 branches. These are smaller libraries located in different neighborhoods. They make it easy for everyone to access books and services.

Here are the 13 branches:

• Arapaki Manners Library
• Brooklyn Library (Te Whare Pukapuka o Brooklyn)
• Cummings Park (Ngaio) Library (Te Whare Pukapuka o Korimako, Ngaio)
• He Matapihi Molesworth Library
• Island Bay Library
• Johnsonville Library (Te Whare Pukapuka o Waitohi)
• Karori Library (Te Whare Pukapuka o Te Māhanga)
• Khandallah Library (Te Whare Pukapuka o Tari-Kākā)
• Mervyn Kemp (Tawa) Library (Te Whare Pukapuka o Te Takapū)
• Miramar Library (Te Whare Pukapuka o Motu-Kairangi)
• Newtown Library (Te Whare Pukapuka o Omaroro)
• Ruth Gotlieb (Kilbirnie) Library (Te Whare Pukapuka o Te Awa-a-Taia)
• Wadestown Library (Te Whare Pukapuka o Ōtari)

Arapaki Manners Library

This was the first pop-up library to open after the Central Library closed. It opened on May 28, 2019. You can find it at 12 Manners Street.

He Matapihi Molesworth Library

This library is a partnership between the National Library and Wellington City Council. It opened on October 10, 2019. It is located on the ground floor of the National Library building.

Te Awe Library

Te Awe Library will be the third new central city library. It is planned to open in May 2020. It will be located in the Harbour City Centre on Brandon Street.

Images for kids

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  Arapaki Manners Library and Service Centre (2019)

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  Brooklyn Library (2014)

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  He Matapihi Molesworth Library (2019)

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  Ruth Gotlieb (Kilbirnie) Library (2018)

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  Wadestown Library (2012)

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  Karori Library (2020)

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  The original Public Library designed in 1891 and opened in 1893 (1930)

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  The Newtown Public Library (ca 1904-1914)

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  The Wellington Central Library built in 1937 (1940)

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  Wellington Central Library building (2007)