Westland District Library facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Westland District Library |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Country | New Zealand |
| Type | Public library |
| Established | 1866 |
| Location | Hokitika |
| Coordinates | 42°43′08″S 170°57′47″E / 42.7187749°S 170.9630457°E |
| Other information | |
| Director | Natasha Morris |
The Westland District Library is a public library in Hokitika, a town on the West Coast of New Zealand. A public library is a place where anyone can borrow books, movies, and other items for free. It also offers a quiet space to read and learn. This library started way back in 1866 as the Hokitika Literary Society. For many years, from 1908 to 1975, it was located in a special building called a Carnegie library.
Contents
How the Library Started
The Gold Rush and a Need for Books
In the 1860s, many people moved to Hokitika because of the West Coast Gold Rush. The town grew very quickly. In 1866, the people of Hokitika decided to form a literary society. This was a group for people who loved to read and discuss books.
To join, you paid a small fee of 5 shillings every three months. By 1867, the society had collected 600 books. However, they didn't have a proper place to keep them. So, they started raising money to build a library.
A New Building for Learning
In 1869, a new two-story wooden building was built on Revell Street. It was called the Hokitika Town Hall and Literary Society. An architect named William Barnett Armson designed it quickly.
Two rooms in this new building were set aside for a reading room and a library. They even had their own entrance! Two other rooms were used to display museum items. The reading room was open almost all day, from 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM, six days a week. On Sundays, it was open from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM.
The Westland Institute, a local group, helped run the library. By 1886, the library had 2,000 books. By 1899, there were 60 members and 35,000 books!
The Carnegie Library Building
A Gift from Andrew Carnegie
_-_panoramio.jpg)
In 1903, the mayor of Hokitika, Henry Michel, wrote a letter to a very rich man named Andrew Carnegie. Carnegie was an industrialist, meaning he owned big businesses. He believed that libraries could help people improve their lives. He funded the building of over 2,500 libraries around the world!
Mayor Michel asked Carnegie for £4,000 to build a new public library in Hokitika. In 1906, Carnegie agreed to give £2,000. He later added another £500 for furniture, which was unusual for him. Local groups also helped pay for the new building.
Designing and Opening the New Library
Six different designs were submitted for the new library. The design by Nelson architect Arthur Griffin was chosen. The building cost £2,034 to construct.
The foundation stone was laid in November 1906. The new Free Public Library opened on June 24, 1908. It was on the corner of Tancred Street and Hamilton Street. People called it "the finest building architecturally on the West Coast."
The library had several rooms:
- A public reading room
- A newspaper room
- A reference room
- A main library room with a committee room next to it
All the rooms had high ceilings and lots of light from large round windows.
The new library combined the books from the Literary Society and the Mechanics Institute. In 1906, the Westland Institute gave all its books and £280 to the new library. Another £108 worth of new books were also donated.
Was It Really "Free"?
Andrew Carnegie often said that the libraries he funded should be free for everyone to use. However, local councils sometimes wanted to charge fees to make money.
The Hokitika library was a bit like this. The words "FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY" were written in big letters above the entrance. Anyone could read books and newspapers inside for free. But if you wanted to borrow books to take home, you had to pay a subscription fee. This went against what Carnegie usually wanted.
The Westland District Library Today
The old Carnegie building had some problems, like a leaky slate roof that couldn't handle the West Coast's heavy rain. The walls also let water through. So, in April 1975, the library moved to a new location on Sewell Street.
In September 2020, the Westland District Council decided to move the library again. It will now share a building with the Hokitika Museum exhibits at 41 Weld Street. This new place will be called the Westland Discovery Centre / Pakiwaitara.
Images for kids
-
The Westland District Library today.
