Save Takapuna Library

Takapuna residents recently discovered that the Devonport-Takapuna local board is developing a plan to renovate our library into a community hub. Accordingly, the board is presently seeking public help to provide input as to what shape these renovations should be.

Unfortunately, with the release of the council’s limited concept plan details and what inputs they are seeking, we have serious and growing concerns about key aspects of the present plan.

People use libraries to explore, read, and discover the wonderful world of books. They are essential institutions at the heart of all progressive communities. As such they fully deserve our support.

Takapuna Library is much appreciated and very well used by its growing resident community of children, students, parents, and people from all levels of society. It is acknowledged that libraries, as with all aspects of how modern society functions, do need to evolve and grow to meet the changing needs of the communities and people they serve.

Any plan for the future of our library must therefore take time to carefully understand the purposes, needs and uses that a library provides and take great care to ensure that the key aspects of the way a library functions are fully maintained by the council while being further developed.

All the promotional material released to date focuses on the boards overall statement that they want us to “Share our ideas on the facilities and services that we would want to see incorporated into the renovations of the existing library into a combined library and Community Hub.”

Save Takapuna Library is a group of residents who freely acknowledge that within the existing library building there are various spaces that could be better utilized for some of the functions that the board is seeking ideas for. We also support any well conceived plan that would further enhance the welcoming place that our library already is.

However, the initial conceptual plans confirm there is simply nowhere near enough space to include even half of the expansive range of ideas put forward that would change the library into a complex multi-functional community hub, without seriously compromising the function and effectiveness of our present library.

The board realises this and has accordingly put forward a highly questionable and dauntingly costly proposal to add a third story to the existing building. To keep the costs contained the present third floor plan would only add 300 square meters of space plus a surprising plan to create an outdoor viewing platform. We certainly consider this plan as unnecessary, overly complex, and fraught with inherent dangers especially regarding cost over runs.

It is important to note that such a major change to the structure of the existing library building would entail shifting the library to other premises for an extended period that could be about 2 years or more. During this period, the services the library provides would be severely affected. Again, this would be another costly exercise.

Our major concern is that the present concept plans which are not yet available to the public, have revealed, on credible authority that the amount of space dedicated to the actual library and its facilities will be significantly reduced in both 2 and 3 story plans.

This is an alarming proposition given that Takapuna library will be servicing the needs of a growing population which is going to increase further with the city’s present housing intensification plans. This is at a time when worldwide there is a welcome resurgent growth in book sales and bookshops.

Takapuna library also services the needs of a growing number of students from the many secondary schools in the nearby vicinity as can be evidenced by their frequent use of the very good study facilities provided by library. The same applies to the increasing number of families with young children who enjoy making use of the vibrant and colourful downstairs children’s library section.

Takapuna is a Metropolitan City Centre so it is essential that the Takapuna library should have the ability to grow, which the existing building is able to provide. The present initial concept plan regrettably makes no allowance for this.

Members of ‘Save Takapuna Library’ therefor emphatically do not support any plan that would create any reduction in the library collections, services, or facilities.

In taking this stance we are not being negative towards renovation plans that will thoughtfully modernize, enhance, and further improve the library. Our hopes are that this would enable the dedicated library staff to continue providing and further develop the excellent service they do in a safe, welcoming and creative environment. Our library in so many ways, is already, a positive community hub.