2011-2012 Annual Report - Full Version - PDF - Palmerston North ...

Activity - City LibraryWhat the Council doesThe City Library consists of the Central Library andbranches at Ashhurst, Awapuni, Highbury andRoslyn; a Mobile Library Service; the Youth Space;and a City Library website.The City Library also has an arrangement with theLinton Camp Community Library and provides acontracted library service to the Manawatu Prison.The City Library Activity provides free publiclibrary services for the residents of PalmerstonNorth City. The Council has an arrangement withthe Manawatu District Council to provide freeaccess for children and youth from the ManawatuDistrict in exchange for an annual grant of $10,000.The Central Library houses the Ian MathesonCity Archives. This includes both the CityCouncil’s Archives as well as Community Archives.The Council protects the Archives for futuregenerations.The Central Library provides more than just books.The library holds a vast range of audio-visualresources, specialist collections, magazines,electronic databases, e-books, computer softwareand puzzles and games - over 250,000 itemsin total. The library also provides a number ofspecialist services, including Housebound, Seniors,Community Languages, and Adult Learning.The library also provides a range of activities andevents throughout the year, such as the SummerReading Programme, author visits and musicalevents.The Council develops and implements an assetmanagement plan, which includes the City Libraryfacilities, to ensure that these assets can deliverreliable services to existing and future customersin the most cost effective and sustainable way.Why the Council does this and itscontribution to Council vision andmajor goalsThe library contributes mostly to the Council’s goalof making the City a place where people want tolive. This is because people like living in a city thathas lots of leisure and education opportunities –reading is a key part of their leisure and lifelonglearning. The library makes it easy for people tolearn about new things throughout their lives.The Council also recognises that a library revolvesaround the “share” concept. By providing a largenumber of items for borrowing, residents haveaccess to a wider range of material than theywould ordinarily have if they had to buy themon their own. Therefore, the Council providesthe City’s libraries to make best use of a sharedresource, to provide residents with lifelonglearning opportunities and lots of fun things to do.The Council also provides the Central Library as acommunity space, where the diverse communitiesof the City can come together and showcasetheir culture, their creativity, and build a senseof community. The design of the Central Libraryallows a wide range of events and exhibitions tobe hosted.The Council also recognises that alibrary revolves around the “share”concept. By providing a largenumber of items for borrowing,residents have access to a widerrange of material than they wouldordinarily have if they had to buythem on their own.What happened in the yearThe Palmerston North City Library continues toinspire, delight and surprise large numbers ofresidents in providing a range of access points tothe delivery of library services - resources, servicesand programmes. The City Library’s reason forbeing remains, as always, leaving customers withmany reasons why they need to return in the verynear future. Over the last 12 months the CityLibrary has had over a million visitors with morethan 1.5 million items borrowed. For many, theexperience of visiting and using the City Libraryremains a core and essential activity in their life.During the last 12 months, the City Library’sorganisational highlights included.• The physical rearrangement of the mezzaninefloor was completed, resulting in a constantstream of praise for the benefits accruing fromthe changes including significantly enlargedwelcome lounge area for pre-opening time;introduction of free Internet access, currentlyrunning at approximately 85% occupancy; andthe introduction of a welcome point at themain entrance to the Central Library.What the Council Does Leisure City LibraryPalmerston North City Council Annual Report 2011/1269