About the Library

Contact Details

Christchurch City Libraries
work PO Box 73045,
Christchurch 8154,
New Zealand.
workp: +64-3-941-7923
urlw: christchurchcitylibraries.com

Reorganisation of the Central Library

Central Library

Christchurch Central Library’s three floors are being reorganised to make it easier to find your way around the library’s extensive resources. The changes will create three floors broadly dedicated to recreation, information and heritage. To minimise disruption, the transformation will take place over a three month period.

What to expect:

Ground Floor - Recreation

The ground floor becomes the home for mainly recreational resources - fiction, the latest bestsellers, magazines, CDs, DVDs, talking books and areas for children and young adults. A new ground floor enquiries desk will also be set up, near the library’s entrance, in the early stages of the reorganisation.

First Floor - Information & Reference

Finding information will be much easier with the reorganisation of the library’s non-fiction resources on the first floor. From cookery to car mechanics, home renovation to hobbies, items will be displayed in Dewey order. The floor will also host the biography and world language collections.

Second Floor - Heritage & NZ Culture

The second floor will mainly focus on heritage and our nation and its place in the world. The floor will include the Aotearoa New Zealand Centre, Māori collection, newspapers, non-fiction books on the Pacific and Antarctic and pay-for internet access. An additional 1000 essential New Zealand and Pacific non-fiction books will go on display.

The changes won’t affect the library’s popular lounge areas and study spaces, which will stay. The library will also continue to offer free wireless internet access.

See the media release about the changes.

What changes have already been made?

12 October

Ground floor

  • The Young Adult area is now under the escalator. Currently both mobile units are in this area. The two bay unit will be moved into the spot temporarily occupied by biographies once they move upstairs.
  • Science fiction is now along the blue wall.
  • Non-classical CDs have been moved from first floor to the river end ground floor on the Gloucester Street side.
  • Classical CDs are in the process of being moved from first floor onto new shelving on ground floor -  Gloucester Street side between talking books and the non-classical CD section.
  • Biographies are expected to be in place on first floor early next week.

2 October

Ground floor

  • Magazines available for loan have moved into a new area on north west corner – adjacent to the Popular Centre desk.
  • Not for loan magazines remain in their original position. An additional bay of not for loan shelving will be installed in this area during the next week.
  • The young adult collection will move into the area where the magazines were (alongside the escalator) during the next week.
  • Biographies will move to temporary shelving also in the area where the magazines were (adjacent to the science fiction collection).

25 September

Ground floor

  • Science fiction has moved to under the escalator.
  • Additional lighting will be installed in this area next week.
  • Returned today shelves for science fiction are now with the other Returned today fiction shelves.
  • For Sale stock has been moved to a temporary location on two mobile trolleys which will be moved around as necessary until the whole move is finished.
  • The shelving that used to house large print and talking books has been dismantled. Shelving for a new magazine lounge will go up in this space next week.

24 September

1st floor

  • 900 to 989 book stock been moved backwards on to the new shelves at the East end on the Gloucester Street side.
  • 800 book stock has been moved into sequence between the 700s and 900s on first floor.
  • Atlases have been moved temporarily to the West End – beyond the first floor desk - where the English language skills collection used to be.

Ground floor

  • 800 book stock has moved up to First floor.
  • Large print and talking books have been moved to where the 880s were.
  • Film review notice board has been removed temporarily.
  • For Sale stock will be moved to a temporary location – that is yet to be decided.
  • New shelving for science fiction will be erected under the escalator tomorrow - additional lighting will be installed in this area within the next few weeks.

17 September

  • 1st floor: Tuesday 18th - extra shelving to be erected on Gloucester Street side at East end of building.
  • 900 to 989 book stock will start to be moved backwards on to the new shelves at the East end to make room for 800 book stock which is to come up from ground floor within the next two weeks.

14 September

Second floor
Computing and Business magazines have been relocated to ground floor.
First floor
990 – 999 book stock has been relocated to second floor.
Ground floor
Business and computing magazines have been relocated to temporary shelving at the end of the current magazine area.

10 September

1st floor

  • Business and computing book stock and videos from second floor have been relocated to first floor.
  • Some of the first floor 500 and 600 book stock has been moved slightly to make room for the second floor stock to be integrated in sequence.
  • Magazines in languages other than English have been relocated to World Languages area on first floor.

Ground floor

  • Business talking books from the second floor have been relocated and integrated with the talking book collection on the ground floor.
  • Magazines in languages other than English have been relocated to World Languages area on first floor.
  • Work to happen this week
    • Business and computing magazines will be moved from second floor to temporary shelves in the magazine area on ground floor. Starting on Tuesday with the reference magazines which will go at the bottom of the existing Not For Loan shelving.

3 September

  • 1st floor: Tomorrow we will begin to move 500 and 600 book stock backwards to make room for the remaining business and computing stock from second floor.

31 August

  • 1st floor: Contents of genealogy case are now in 2nd floor stack

30 August

  • 1st floor: All book stock 000 to 399 has been taken from Business & Computing on second floor & integrated into the main sequence on first floor.
  • 2nd floor:
    • All Business & CRC book stock in the 600 sequence is still on second floor and will be moved into sequence on first floor during the week beginning 3 September.
    • All Business & CRC magazines & talking books are still on second floor – we have yet to find a temporary space where they can stay until they go down to the new magazine area on ground floor.

22 August

  • 400s collection – language courses, dictionaries for all languages and books about the English language have moved to shelves on South (Gloucester Street) side of first floor at the river end.

17 August

If you have any questions about the changes or want further information, please call us. If you’d like to make a comment about the reorganisation, please use our suggestion form.