Wednesday 27 January 2016

Temporary Lyttelton Library to open

A temporary library will open in Lyttelton next month following the closure of Lyttelton Library in London Street for repair, strengthening and refurbishment work later this week.

Lyttelton Library in London Street will close for earthquake repairs and refurbishment this Saturday 30 January at 1pm. Over the next two weeks, library staff and volunteers from the Lyttelton community will move the library to its new temporary location at Trinity Hall in the Lyttelton Recreation Centre in Winchester Street.

The temporary Lyttelton Library will open for business on Monday 15 February at 10am. Residents are also welcome to have a look around the library on Saturday 13 February from 10am-1pm, although no library services will be available on this day.

The Council has recently repaired and strengthened Lyttelton Recreation Centre and Trinity Hall. The work included significant improvements to the building including soundproofing and modernising meeting rooms, upgrading the ventilation system, re-roofing the office and squash courts and modernising the interior. Community groups are expected to use the recreation centre again fromTuesday 1 March.

The decision to set up a temporary library in Trinity Hall was made after a working party – comprising residents, Lyttelton–Mt Herbert Community Board members and library staff – was last year formed to look at suitable locations for a temporary facility while the Lyttelton Library was closed for repair work. Lyttelton Library is expected to reopen in December this year following extensive repair and refurbishment work, which will include setting up a customer service desk in the facility.

Full library services will be available in the temporary Lyttelton Library. This includes wifi access, printing and photocopying, preschool programmes, school visits, after school sessions with Science Alive and weekly Knit ‘n’ Yarn sessions.

Working party member Gary McCormick says the working party has worked alongside Council staff to determine the collection size and the range and type of library services needed. “The library is a key gathering place for residents so this is a fantastic outcome for the community and demonstrates how we can all work together to find a solution,” he says.

Libraries and Information Unit Manager Carolyn Robertson says library staff are grateful to residents for their understanding and assistance during this time. “We’re pleased to be able to come to a resolution that will allow residents to still have access to full library services while we’re repairing their permanent library.

“The repair and refurbishment project we’ll be undertaking will also ensure residents will be able to use a much improved library later this year and have access to a customer service centre in the same building. A revamped library with a customer service desk was a key action in the Lyttelton Master Plan, developed in response to the earthquakes.”

The temporary library will be open the same hours as the permanent library. Opening hours are Monday to Friday from10am-6pm and Saturdays from 10am-1pm. For more information visit www.christchurchcitylibraries.com

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