Wellington City Library, Central Branch

Wellington City Library, Central Branch

The social profile of Wellingtonians; including a high number public service employees, well educated, culturally and technologically engaged, and high library usage, has contributed to the development of a city library system very focused on delivering the highest quality library service to patrons. This was demonstrated in the large, multi-level space of the Central Branch, but also through the range of supplementary services offered, including bookable spaces, bike hire, special interest groups, public talks, and youth and children’s services. When we visited the space was very busy with high school students, backpackers, and senior citizens, resulting in a dynamic public space that was obviously well used and valued by locals and visitors alike. However, I was shocked to learn that while 90 percent of the Wellington City Library’s funding comes from the City Council, the other 10 percent of revenue had to be generated by user fees. This is seemingly in conflict with the philosophy of a public library and was obviously a point of tension for staff.

Of particular interest was the music collection held by the library, including a large range of sheet music, CD, and vinyl recordings, which was an interesting point of difference from other institutions we visited. Staff indicated that the reintroduction of a vinyl collection had been prompted by user feedback. The library employs a staff member who specialises in music selection among other flexible work tasks, and selection is focused towards jazz, singer/songwriter, independent and New Zealand artists, which indicates that this particular collection is valued by the library and users alike.