From Tauranga City Library’s archives
A monthly blog about interesting items in our collection
2021 is a year of anniversaries for the library. 150 years ago, the seeds of our library were sown when Tauranga Library subscribers met for the first time at the Masonic Hotel. This group amalgamated with the Tauranga Mechanics’ Institute on 12 June 1871 – an organisation you can learn more about by visiting our anniversary-inspired exhibition, which will be on display in Ngā Wāhi Rangahau, at Tauranga Library, until Monday 7 June.
An event that is not as widely celebrated occurred 80 years ago, on 16 May 1941. This day saw a visit from Miss E. J. Carnell, Liaison Officer for the Country Library Service, to Tauranga Public Library. Although less celebrated, her visit is arguably as significant as the first meeting of library subscribers back in 1871. It marked the beginning of a project that changed the library from being a selective institution to a community-focused organisation.
Up until this point, the library – which started its life as Tauranga Mechanics’ Institute and then became Tauranga Public Library in 1906 when the borough council took control – had relied heavily on income generated through subscription. This system posed many challenges: income was not always forthcoming, and the system was selective, with only those who could afford to subscribe being able to borrow books. Records held in our archive highlight these struggles. The annual report for 1933-1934 (Ams 11/3/7), reports a subscriber total of 369 out of a population of 3000. Shockingly, just over 10% of the community were making use of the library.
On joining the Country Library Service on 1 October 1941, subscription was abolished and, as outlined in the “Rules and Details Relating to Change-Over” (Ams 11/6/2), residents could apply for a borrower’s ticket, which would entitle them to the loan of one book from the fiction section, and one from the main collection, free of charge.
In the years that followed, annual reports reveal a change in focus from struggling library to vibrant community space. Something that was enabled by the service. We see the introduction of children’s book week and adult education classes; story-hour for children; increased professionalism through access to New Zealand Library School courses; displays around the library; books supplied to the hospital; the emergence of a community archive through partnership with Tauranga Historical Society …
Planned changes to the main library room, mentioned in the annual report for 1944 (Ams 11/3/13), are a beautiful metaphor for the change in perspective ignited by the Country Library Service:
This archival item is on our schedule for digitisation, and will be added to Pae Korokī once digitised. For more information about other items in our collection, visit Pae Korokī or email the Heritage & Research Team: Research@tauranga.govt.nz
Written by Abigail Wharne, Heritage Specialist at Tauranga City Library.
