Newsletter December 2007

Welcome

During the last six weeks the Libraries 2025 Facilities Plan Working Party has met three times, completing separate tours of the Central Library and the northern and southern sectors of the Christchurch City Libraries network.

This has provided the Working Party – an independent group of key community and industry representatives’ set-up to work in partnership with Council staff and elected members to develop the Draft Libraries 2025 Facilities Plan – with a comprehensive overview of the network.

In considering the location of existing libraries, the different environments in which these operate, areas of future growth and trends in library services, the Working Party have agreed draft criteria and network guidelines – the framework for evaluating issues and identifying options. These will be presented to a Council seminar early next year, feedback from which will help inform the Draft Libraries 2025 Facilities Plan.

During the last two months, a series of staff-led workshops have also been held with key stakeholder groups to seek feedback on what is required in future library facilities.

This Working Party is important in the pre-consultation phase of the development of the Plan, ensuring the needs of the wider community forms the nucleus around which the Plan is developed. Its primary functions are 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.

The Draft Libraries 2025 Facilities Plan will provide a city-wide framework to plan the future development of our libraries network to better 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.

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, network reconfiguration 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 and advances in digital information and communication technology will also guide the development of the Plan.

Once the draft Plan is completed in March/April 2008, it will be released for public consultation. Any projects recommended in the final Plan will be considered as part of the 2009 Long Term Council Community Plan process.

Regards

Carolyn Robertson
Christchurch City Libraries Manager