Newsletter August 2007

The Christchurch City Council has begun to develop the Draft Libraries 2025 Facilities Plan a framework to plan the future development of the libraries network to meet Christchurch’s changing geographic and demographic needs.

Christchurch City has a proud history of investing in libraries; the city having a network of 19 facilities which provide a customer-driven, value-for-money and technologically advanced service for residents and ratepayers.

Our libraries are more than books and buildings; they are hubs for our community and in the future will become places where the community builds a strong sense of identity and belonging.

Libraries of the future will need to be innovative, sustainable and inviting structures with the flexibility to easily adapt to offer residents new social, leisure and digital experiences. Well-designed library buildings generate community pride and reflect the diversity of the local community’s culture, demographics and lifestyles, aspects of which will form part of the Draft Libraries 2025 Facilities Plan.

This Plan will look to provide fair and equitable access to library facilities, services and resources across the city and Banks Peninsula. The Plan will also help to define the shape, size and hierarchy of our library network, consider opportunities for partnership and joint use of facilities, while ensuring the city maintains and enhances its investment in the library network.

Christchurch is already recognised internationally as operating one of New Zealand’s flagship public libraries networks.

Development of the Draft Libraries 2025 Facilities Plan follows the completion in 2006 of the Council’s last 10-year development plan. This Plan saw new library buildings at Papanui, Shirley, New Brighton and Fendalton, and new facilities/services at South Christchurch, Parklands and Upper Riccarton.

The new Plan will look to tailor any development, relocation and extension of services to better meet the changing community needs, address growth and create focal points for community learning and leisure activities. The Urban Development Strategy, Christchurch’s ageing population, cultural diversity in the community and advances in digital information and communication technology will guide the development of the Plan.

Council has also approved the terms of reference, role and membership of a Working Party. This is an independent group of key community and industry representatives who will work in partnership with Council staff and elected members to develop the Draft Libraries 2025 Facilities Plan. This is important in the pre-consultation stage to ensure the needs of the wider community form the nucleus around which the Draft Plan is developed.

The Working Party’s primary functions will be to identify priority areas for enhancing community access, developing a hierarchy of library facilities and identifying future opportunities which will form their recommendations to Council.

Key stakeholder and community workshops will also be held to help inform the work and deliberations of the Working Party.

Once the draft Plan is completed in March/April 2008, it will be released for public consultation. Any projects recommend in the final Plan will be considered as part of the 2009/19 Long Term Council Community Plan process, along with all other priorities for the city.

Regards

Carolyn Robertson
CHRISTCHURCH CITY LIBRARIES MANAGER