Tuesday 30 April 2013

Mayor opens Linwood Library and Service Centre at Eastgate

Mayor Bob Parker officially opened the doors to Christchurch City Council’s temporary new Linwood Library and Service Centre at Eastgate Shopping Centre this morning (Tuesday 30 April).

Mayor Parker officially opened the new library and service centre, on the first floor of the shopping centre, at 11am. It is the first combined library and service centre facility in the suburb.

For the first time since the February 2011 earthquake, customers visiting Linwood Library and Service Centre at Eastgate will have the opportunity to borrow items from the 50,000-strong collection that was held at the Linwood Library in Cranley Street before its closure.

The library collection includes books for all ages, a range of magazines, CDs, DVDs, talking books and the Ngā Pounamu Māori collection. There are also 14 computers offering free internet access. New service kiosks, which are being introduced to libraries across Christchurch, will make it possible for customers to issue their own items.

Customers will also be able to access all usual services at the customer service centre, including making rates payments and applying for rates rebates, paying dog registrations and accessing drainage plans.

Mayor Parker says it was wonderful to see people of all ages celebrating the opening of the new library and service centre this morning.

“When a community has experienced as much upheaval as this one, milestones like this are especially welcome and are another encouraging step towards recovery. The earthquakes have forced us to think outside the square when it comes to restoring some of our key community services and this is another example of this creative thinking.”

Carolyn Robertson, Unit Manager Libraries and Information, says staff are thrilled to be operating from the spacious new facility. The library opened on Friday 26 April ahead of schedule, which gave staff time to ensure all was running smoothly before its official opening today.

More than 30 new memberships had already been issued in this time, including to a gentleman in his 90s who was a first-time library customer.

“The public and staff alike have waited patiently for this facility to open and it’s particularly heart warming to see customers enjoying the collection from the closed Cranley Street library for the first time since the February 2011 earthquake,” Mrs Robertson says.

Eastgate Shopping Centre manager Joanna Hollander says, “It's a great day here at Eastgate, welcoming the Linwood Library and Service Centre. The opening of the facility on Eastgate's first floor is just the beginning of the redevelopment and rejuvenation of the centre into a community hub for the people in eastern Christchurch," Mrs Robertson says.

The new library is open from Monday to Friday from 9am to 6pm and on Saturdays from 10am to 4pm. The new customer service centre is open from 9am to 5pm on weekdays.

Images from today’s official opening will be available later today.

ENDS

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