The library at Greerton

By the early 1960s, Greerton's expansion led residents to ask for a local library instead of travelling to central Tauranga. On March 11, 1964, the first Greerton Library opened in a small shopfront on Cameron Road. It was a single-room, staffed by one librarian. Despite its size, the library quickly became a valued community space. Young families, drawn to the growing suburb, embraced the branch, which provided books and events that fostered a strong local identity. 

Tauranga Public Library, Greerton Branch, c1970s. 1344 Cameron Road.

By the 1970s, it was clear the temporary shop space was too small. In 1975, a purpose-built library was built on Greerton Road in the heart of the Village. This one-room facility, adjacent to the village green and shopping area, provided a larger collection and amenities that the original shopfront lacked. While modest by today’s standards, the 1975 building was a significant upgrade and remained a busy hub for over two decades. However, by the 1990s, it was showing signs of wear, and it no longer met the needs of the growing community.

A refurbishment in 1997 modernised the 450 m² library with new shelving, furniture, and updated lending systems. Though the upgrade improved the space, the library’s footprint remained small, limiting its ability to serve the expanding suburb. Into the 2000s, programmes such as children’s story hours became regular fixtures, but space constraints and a leaking roof, finally prompted calls for a larger, modern facility. 

Greerton Library and staff, 9 April 2002. L to R: Shelley Wu, Rebecca Perry, Margaret Douglas (Team Leader)

Advocacy from groups such as the Friends of the Library and ongoing community support kept the issue on the Council’s agenda. Despite debates over funding and the future role of libraries in the digital age, Tauranga City Council approved $3.45 million for a new library to be built on the same site in June 2014. The planned 900 m² doubled the size of the old library, promising space for books, technology, and wider community use. A New Zealand Lottery Grants Board contribution of $200,000 in mid-2015 allowed for a further 60 m² expansion.

August 16 2011. Te Ao Mārama Tauranga City Libraries Photo NZME-CD797-160811mm20

On June 2, 2015, Greerton Library closed for demolition. A temporary library opened at 1334 Cameron Road, coincidentally the site of the original 1964 shopfront. Due to space limitations, one-third of the 30,000-book collection went into storage. By October, only the foundation slab remained. Marra Construction led the rebuild, which progressed steadily despite weather challenges. By March 2016, the structure was complete, and interior fit-outs were underway.

Public computers with the community meeting room at right, Te Ao Mārama - Tauranga City Libraries Photo 21-800

The new library was 960 m² and featured expanded shelving, a community meeting room, a children’s zone, and a learning centre with public computers and digital resources. Accessibility was a key consideration, with wider aisles for wheelchairs and mobility scooters, and a redesigned entrance facing the village green. Greerton Library officially reopened on July 15, 2016, with a community event attended by 200 people. Mayor Stuart Crosby and local schoolchildren cut the ribbon, celebrating the culmination of years of advocacy and planning. That day, over 2,600 visitors explored the new space—five times the daily patronage of the old library.

The new facility housed 60,000 books, doubled previous capacity, and introduced seven-day service with additional staff. Designed as an engaging and vibrant community space, it was embraced immediately, with 1,500 more visitors recorded over its opening weekend.

A carved pou by Whare Thompson (Ngāi Tamarāwaho) now stands at the library entrance and the new name, Te Ao Mārama ki Tutarawānanga, connects it to both the modern library network and the deeper past.

Whare Thompson beside his work on opening day, Te Ao Mārama - Tauranga City Libraries Photo 25-159

Ngāi Tamarāwaho played a key role in the new library’s cultural identity, providing guidance and insight into the significance of the name.  According to Ngāi Tamarāwaho elders, one of Tauranga’s earliest whare wānanga, the original Tutarawānanga, was established around 600 years ago near today’s Yatton Park, on the banks of the Waimapū River. The library’s name is a nod to that heritage and connects this past to its present role as a knowledge hub.

Today, Greerton Library stands as a cornerstone of Tauranga City Libraries, continuing its mission as a place of knowledge, community, and connection.