Changes Bring Better Services
The amalgamation of Auckland Councils into one new entity on November 1 will see the merger of many systems and
services.
Among them are the region’s libraries, one of the most utilised and valued services any Council provides.
From November 1, residents will be able to use their library card at any of the 55 libraries and 4 mobile libraries in
the new Auckland Council region, from Wellsford to Waiheke to Waiuku. In addition there will be a number of small rural
libraries operated by volunteers but with resources and other support provided by the new Council.
The amalgamation of libraries – known as the “My Card” project- makes it the largest group in Australasia, giving
Aucklanders access to around 3.5 million items, including CDs, DVDs, language collections and audio books as well as
on-line information and databases.
As is the case currently, there will be no joining or membership fees for residents of the Auckland region. Loan periods
for some items will increase from one to two weeks and there will be no charges on overdue items borrowed by children or
teens.
“This means people will be able to borrow items anywhere, and return them anywhere. It is just one of the examples of
Council services being easier to access,” says Mark Ford, executive chairman of the Auckland Transition Agency, which is
managing the amalgamation of existing Councils.
He also points to other improvements, including a network of more than 20 offices across the region, providing face to
face customer service.
In addition, Bank of New Zealand will provide the Auckland Council with comprehensive transactional services and
over-the counter services.
The New Zealand Post PostShop network will also provide some over-the-counter bill payment services (such as rates and
water payments).
ENDS