The next stage in preparation for the opening of Te Whata o Kaituna begins next week as the South Dunedin Community Pop-Up Library is closed ahead of transitioning to the new building.
From Tuesday, 1 July the pop-up library at Hillside Road in South Dunedin will no longer operate to allow the library services team to transition and prepare the new Te Whata o Kaituna South Dunedin Library and Community Complex to open later in the year.
“We understand the people of South Dunedin and regular visitors may find it tough without their local library for a while, however this means we will be able to focus solely on the new library and community centre we know will deliver so much to the community once it is open,” says Dunedin City Council General Manager Arts, Culture and Recreation Cam McCracken.
“We’re committed to making sure everything is ready to go at Te Whata o Kaituna from day one, so we need to shift our focus to ensuring the new community facility is ready to deliver a full range of library and community services.”
The community understands the need to close the pop-up, and many are excited as it signals things are changing and that the opening of Te Whata o Kaituna is getting closer.
Staff will be recruiting and training the new library team, setting up shelves for the tens of thousands of new books and resources, preparing the vibrant craft and maker spacers and recording studio, and planning community programmes and events, Mr McCracken says.
During this time, the current pop-up library space will be used to store materials and equipment destined for the new facility.
A book return service at the South Dunedin site will still be offered throughout the transition. Any holds that would have been picked up at the pop-up will be sent to the Dunedin City Library in Moray Place for collection.
“We have a big job ahead of us getting Te Whata o Kaituna ready to open. The new facility promises to be a gamechanger for the South Dunedin community and city as a whole,” says Director Library Services Sarah Gallagher.
The people of South Dunedin have been asking for a local community centre and library for a long time, and we’re proud to have made significant progress to deliver what they need, Mrs Gallagher says.
Construction of the building shell is complete, and the interior fit-out is well underway. The complex will feature a new library and DCC service centre, as well as facilities for community use including meeting rooms.
Some of the resources unique to Te Whata o Kaituna include the Tangata Moana Collection featuring books that reflect the unique cultures, histories, and experiences of the Pacific Islands, and a dedicated creative maker space and recording studio.
Construction company Naylor Love has been developing the new community complex which is budgeted to cost about $22 million.
The name Te Whata o Kaituna represents the traditional name for South Dunedin and as a source for food and nutrients, and how the building will house the library as a resource for the community to harvest knowledge and feed their minds.