03 History

In 1872 Sir George Grey proposed to donate books if a public library was established in Auckland. On 18 December 1879 the Auckland City Council took over the Mechanics’ Institute Library, and combined it with the library of the former Auckland Provincial Council.

On 7 September 1880 the Auckland Free Public Library opened in the Mechanics’ Institute buildings. It was free to all to enter and use the library's resources on the premises. In 1882 Sir George Grey fulfilled his promise to donate his personal library to the citizens of Auckland.

On 26 March 1887 the library was opened in new premises at the corner of Wellesley Street East and Kitchener Street, where the Auckland City Art Gallery is now located. The lending section was opened on 1 October 1889 for subscribers.

The library service soon moved out into the suburbs. The Leys Institute library in Ponsonby opened on 29 March 1905, the now closed Grafton branch opened on 19 March 1913 and the first Parnell branch on 13 December 1913. The Remuera branch opened on 2 October 1915, (moving into its award winning building in 1926), and the first Epsom branch opened on 27 August 1918. Grey Lynn followed on 13 December 1924 and Point Chevalier on 20 November 1926. On 13 June 1931 the Tamaki or St Heliers branch opened and 2 weeks later the first Avondale branch opened.

The next library was not opened until 17 March 1966 with the Glen Innes branch.  Libraries at Mt Albert and Mt Roskill came in 1975 and 1977 respectively.  Amalgamation in 1989 brought in already existing libraries at Onehunga, Otahuhu, Mt Wellington and Waiheke.  In 1995 the Blockhouse Bay library was opened.

The Central City Library moved to its present site in 1971, but it was not until the end of 1982 that the second half of the building was constructed.  From 1996 until 2000 there was a major refurbishment of the building, which completed the internal fit out of the second half of the building, extended the atrium to the second floor, and enabled preservation quality environmental conditions to house the Heritage collections on the second floor.

An extended version of this history can be found in print in Wynne Colgan's  "The governor's gift: the Auckland Public Library, 1880-1980".ⁱⁱ

Last reviewed: 22 July 2008