Auckland Libraries blog

Our libraries are an inclusive and supportive space for everyone – members of the rainbow community can and should feel safe at their local library. Drawing from their own experiences, staff at Tāmaki Pātaka Kōrero Central City Library who identify as LGBTQ+ – and their allies – came up with the idea for Rainbow Connection. This pen pal programme has been designed for people to connect with others with similar stories and experiences. If you or someone you know would like to get involved, sign up before 19 June  and we will match you up with a pen pal. You must be aged 18 or over to take part. Below are some stories from a few of our staff about their experiences being queer in Aotearoa and how pen pals have helped them find support, understanding and joy. Rhi Lennox (they/them) I’ve been writing letters to one of my best friends for a few years now – ever since she moved down to Wellington for uni. These letters feel really meaningful to me and are an important part of our fr...

Auckland City Council. Architectural model of the planned new Auckland Public Library, May 1964. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections, 580-10199. Last updated - June 2021 Central City Library is open with its normal hours. Level 2 remains closed until further notice. Research Central services are operating from Level 1 for the foreseeable future. Due to further construction work on Level 1 from Monday 14 June - Friday 23 July, the Research Central services available at Level 1 will be operating with reduced hours on weekdays.  Research Central services will be available from 9am - 6pm.  Customers can experience disruptions on Level 1 due to noise and other building-related work. The Research Central area on Level 2 including Special Collections, Reading Room, the gallery, atrium, Whare Wānanga, Level 2 bathrooms and study spaces are not available. Closure information Central City Library was temporarily closed in late March and in April due to an unpleasant smell within the...

We chatted to a few members of the Rainbow Working Group at Tāmaki Pātaka Kōrero Central City Library to find out how their mahi is making a difference for Auckland’s diverse communities.  We are lucky enough to have a uniquely positioned library in Tāmaki Makaurau, which sits at the heart of our bustling CBD. The Central City Library caters to customers from all walks of life, and the staff that work there are committed to ensuring the library is a place that supports and embraces all customers – especially the local rainbow communities.  The Rainbow Working Group at Central City Library has been collaborating closely with the community to find out what we can do to make library experiences fun, safe and engaging but, most importantly, to give a genuine sense of belonging here at Auckland Libraries.  We spoke to members Rhion and Rhi about their innovative projects and their experiences being a part of Auckland’s diverse rainbow community.   Rhi Lennox: ...

If you haven’t had a chance to see the exhibition Don’t leave town till you’ve seen the country on Level 2 of Tāmaki Ngā Pātaka Kōrero Central City Library, we recommend you go to enjoy its visual richness. In the meantime, we offer you an opportunity to listen to a selection of exhibition interviews in the comfort of your favourite chair, or on your commute. The first track is an interview with Principal Curator Georgia Prince giving a background to the exhibition content and selection process. Georgia shares with interviewer Haunui Royal a couple of highlights including Cecil Burleigh’s diary. The diary begins in 1932 when he was 22, and records his regular holiday trips around New Zealand. Georgia Prince looking at Cecil Burleigh’s diary. Photograph by Sue Berman 2018 The hand-drawn map displayed in the exhibition charts three road trips he took with his mother in 1948 and 1949. In March 1949 they travelled from Auckland to Waiouru and back before he returned to...