South Dunedin Community Library’s opening chapter full of positives

The opening chapter of the South Dunedin Community Library has been punctuated by positives.

It is just over eight months since the facility opened on 27 September 2025. In that short space of time, the library has been embraced by a broad range of users.

Some statistics from its first six months:

• more than 25,094 people have visited the library
• 980 new Dunedin Public Libraries members have signed up at South Dunedin
• 63,775 items have been borrowed
• 80,622 items have been returned.

This latter figure reveals the library is also an increasingly popular place for people to bring back books borrowed from Dunedin’s other libraries. In fact, staff have had to change the regular courier run to accommodate the number of books returned there.

Lynn Vare, Manager City and South Dunedin Libraries says, “The meeting rooms are constantly in use. For example, in February and March there were 100 bookings, including for the bi-weekly Justice of the Peace services and weekly Community Law sessions. The Taupuni Oro recording studio is also popular.”

The library features a range of regular programmes, including Storytime, Babytime, Page Turners (book group), Friday Creative, Lego Club as well as fantasy roleplaying gaming sessions. Meanwhile, Te Wāhi Auaha makerspace has Sew-cial Sewing Club, STEAM Stam Making, and the community-led Yellow Suitcase - Fibre Crafts Group.

“Accessibility is something we celebrate, and the library enjoys relatively high use by people with special needs and disabilities,” Ms Vare says.

“We have a wonderful and diverse customer base, and many people tell us how much they love the space for its welcoming and calm atmosphere. In short, the South Dunedin Community Library is both a hive of activity and a haven!”

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