Queenstown Library celebrates 150 years
In 1876, 150 years ago, our region’s first official library was built - The Old Stone Library. Queenstown Library is celebrating the huge milestone this month with a week of celebrations from 21 November, and a grand celebration on Saturday, 28, which will include a magic show, Harakeke weaving workshop, storytime and more.
Marion Borrel at the Historical Society has worked with the library to put together a good overview of some of the history. While the library itself has moved a few times since 1876, the building still exists – where the Citizens Advice Bureau is now located. The first book collections in this district were private and that of well-educated settlers who could afford to bring books with them and have more sent from home.
“Next was when Frankton Hospital opened in 1863, that had a hospital library for patients who were staying in the hospital, and they could read,” Aoife McMahon at the Library says. “Then it started to shift a little bit when Queenstown started to become more and more like a town, so it moved beyond just a prospector/mining site and there were community members who felt that a library needed to be a part of our community and that was a real milestone that demonstrated that we were a town.”
In 1875, the courthouse, which is now 1876 Pub, was being built, and through a community petition and pressure, The Old Stone Library was built next door. Through the years, the library has outgrown its home twice, first in 1971 extending into an attached building named the Malaghan Library, which is now the council building next to the CAB building. However, this extension didn’t happen without a threat of demolishment first. In 1965, the council made the decision to replace the Old Stone Library and demolish the building, rather than to renovate it. There was much uproar and after two years, a tied council vote and much disagreement, a referendum was held with most people wanting to keep the building.
In 2000, they made the move to their current space. “This is the old RSA building under the council offices – it’s the old car park that they’ve reconfigured.” As with the changing of locations, there’s been a change in the services that the library offer – more than just books, you’ll find a heart-warming sense of community, a passionate team, and a packed programme of events every week.
“We support literacy, always, and love of reading but digital inclusion is a massive aspect of library strategy now as we navigate the new digital era. They definitely didn’t have that 150 years ago.”
A big milestone calls for a big celebration and the library have been working hard to organise an events-list to suit everyone from the little ones to the adults. Natasha Zambri at the Library explains that while the grand celebration is on 28 November, they’re kicking things off a week early with a pop up at Remarkables Market featuring free cake, book sales, limited edition library merch and special giveaways.
“On that Tuesday, we’re going to have a lego creation competition and then the following day we’re going to do a baking session at Happiness House,” Zambri says. “We’re going to make recipes inspired from the past – the easiest one is a shortbread – and then on Thursday we’re going to do an escape room adventure.”
Joel from More FM will be broadcasting from there on Friday to do a ‘Loud Library Session’ from 7am until 10am, which will include interviews and live music. The biggest part of the celebrations will take place on Saturday, 28 November, with the Grand Celebration. On Sunday there’s something for the introverts – the Garden Reads – part of the silent reading movement, there’s no introductions, no pleasantries, you just gather at the gardens to read books.
“The Grand Celebration will be starting at 10.30am, which is when we do our Karakia, speeches, performance, and then a birthday cake. During that day we have some workshops and storytelling sessions. The workshops are going to be creating a lino bookmark, and a Harakeke weaving workshop. We also have a magic show by Jimmy Marvel, Darren Rewi is going to come and do a storytelling for adults on the stories of Queenstown, and the Mayor is going to do a storytelling with our children’s librarian, and finally we’re going to do some historical stories with Marion Borrell, who will talk about the history of libraries in Whakatipu.”
Note that you will need to register for some of the events. You can find more information at qldclibraries.govt.nz/150-years/
