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All societies have some form of library. In earlier times storehouses of knowledge could be a person, or persons, such as kaumatua.
1842 - the Auckland Mechanics' Institute was opened, less than two years after Pakeha settled Auckland and echoing similar institutes in Great Britain.
May 1848 - 250 books purchased by the British government arrive on the “Ann“ for the four Fencible settlements: Onehunga, Otahuhu, Panmure and Howick (the latter now part of Manukau City). The library was lodged with Captain Kenny in Onehunga, and in 1855 moved to a separate library. Onehunga is thus the location of the second oldest library in Auckland. From June 1861 the Onehunga Institute library was open to all.
1872 - encouraged by changes in Britain and New Zealand's 1869 Public Libraries Act a full public library became inevitable and Sir George Grey promised to donate books if such a library was established in Auckland. Thus, the obvious title for the history of the library was The Governor's Gift, The Auckland Public Library 1880 - 1980. Written by the then Deputy City Librarian Wynne Colgan, it was published by the Auckland City Council in 1980. There is further detail in Donald Kerr's Amassing treasures for all times.
1872 - a public library opens in Otahuhu - such had been suggested back in 1857. The library committee had a constitution for the 1872/1873 period, it received Auckland Provincial Council subsidies in both those years and Auckland City Libraries has a copy of its printed catalogue for 1873 (NZ MSS 595, Box 29). There is then a gap until 11 August 1878 when another Otahuhu library opened on leased land in a room behind the local public hall. That library was registered under the Public Library Powers Act 1875 on 18 August 1879, and filed the 1872/1873 constitution with its 1879 application suggesting continuity with the earlier library. On 23 February 1943 the hall, in the back of which the library was situated, burned down. The replacement library was opened on 2 March 1953 as just children's library, combined with a reading room, on leased government land. An adult library was opened on 2 April 1976.
September 1879 - new Onehunga library building opened. It closed in 1896 but was re-opened 21 December 1901. As with Otahuhu this also received a government subsidy to 1887, and from 1904 again.
25 October 1879 - the registration for the Whau Public Library is filed, and a government subsidy received up to 1883, when it was renamed Avondale Public Library and continued to receive a subsidy to 1887. It likely folded in the late 1880's or 1890's
18 December 1879 - the Auckland City Council took over the Mechanic's Institute Library, and combined it with the library of the former Auckland Provincial Council to form the new Auckland Public Library.
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. Edward Shillington became the first librarian, and held that position until 1913. In 1882 Sir George Grey fulfilled his promise to donate his personal library to the citizens of Auckland.
8 September 1882 - the registration for the Epsom Public Library is filed, and a government subsidy received until 1887. Like Avondale it appears to have folded in the late 1880's or 1890's.
8 January 1883 - the registration for the Mount Roskill Library at Mount Roskill School is filed, and a government subsidy received until 1887, and again in 1899. It appears to have folded after that.
20 December 1886 - the registration for the Mount Eden Public Library is filed, but no government subsidy was received.
26 March 1887 - the Auckland Free Library moved to new premises at the Corner of Wellesley Street East and Kitchener Street, where the Auckland City Art Gallery is now situated. The lending section was opened on 1 October 1889, for subscribers.
11 September 1912 - the Carnegie Foundation financed Onehunga Library building opened.
1913 - Shillington retired and his place as head Librarian was taken by John Barr, who retired in 1952. In 1946 Barr finally achieved the removal of subscription payments for residents and ratepayers in Auckland City and allow for free borrowing. Children had free borrowing from 1934.
Suburban and mobile libraries
Not content with offering library service just in the inner city, the Auckland City Council commenced to operate community libraries in the suburbs, and mobile library services were another innovation from 1950.
The Leys Institute library 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 award winning Remuera branch opened on 2 October 1915 and the first Epsom branch 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 two weeks later the first Avondale branch. Some are still in their original buildings.
The next wasn't until 17 March 1966 with the Glen Innes branch. Libraries at Mt Albert and Mt Roskill came in 1975 and 1977 respectively. Local body amalgamation in 1989 brought in already existing libraries at Onehunga, Otahuhu, Panmure (Panmure was formerly Mount Wellington Public Library and dates from January 1965) and Waiheke. Blockhouse Bay was opened on 24 February 1995.
Central City Library and City Librarians
The Central City Library was opened on its present site in 1971, but it wasn't until the end of 1982 that the second half of the building was completed. From 1996 there was a major refurbishment of the building, especially the opening up of the Heritage Floor.
Until 1982 the position of City Librarian was held by just three people, all male. Following Shillington and Barr, Bob Duthie became City Librarian. Since his and Wynne Colgan's retirement in 1982 we have had a succession of female City Librarians. Mary Ronnie served from 1982 to 1985, Helen Tait from 1985 to 1989, Jan Thompson from 1989 until her sudden death in 1992 and then Barbara Birkbeck to 2001. Allison Dobbie is now City Librarian.
Access
Access to material has also changed significantly over the last twenty years. Libraries have progressed from card catalogues to fiche catalogues, and now to the latest online catalogues available both in the library and via the Internet.
The library has warmly embraced digital technology. The first library website dates from 1999, including subject orientated web pages, online catalogues and access to an extensive selection of both inhouse and external databases and other online resources via the Digital Library.
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