The library network in Tauranga

Early Establishment and Growth (1870s–1920s)
Discussions about a public library in Tauranga began shortly after the New Zealand Wars. In April 1871, a planning meeting was held at the Masonic Hotel, and later that year, the Tauranga Mechanics’ Institute library was formally established with 20 members. It initially operated from the home of James Bodell on Cameron Road. Members paid an annual subscription of one guinea to borrow books. The library grew quickly; within a few years, membership exceeded 100, and a small purpose-built reading room was erected near Harington and Willow Streets in 1873. By the mid-1870s, the collection held over 130 volumes, circulating nearly 2,760 issues annually among 84 subscribers.

Disaster struck on May 31, 1881, when a fire devastated downtown Tauranga and destroyed the library building. Fortunately, many books were saved by quick-thinking onlookers who piled them under a nearby tree. The building was insured, and by November 1881, a new library opened on Harington Street. By 1901, the library subscribed to 25 different newspapers and expanded its collection. In 1906, it was transferred to the Borough Council and renamed Tauranga Public Library. Recognizing its growing importance, the library briefly closed in 1921 to reorganize its expanding collection alphabetically. Throughout these decades, it was managed by a committee and funded through subscriptions and donations but was increasingly recognized as a vital public asset.

Relocations and Development (1930s–1960s)
By the late 1920s, Tauranga’s growth demanded a larger, modern facility. In 1930, Mayor Benjamin Robbins opened a new Art Deco-style library on Willow Street, which also housed the Borough Council offices and the Tauranga Municipal Electricity Department. This civic building provided much-needed space for the library’s growing collections and patrons.

Under council ownership, funding stabilized, and by 1938, the library flourished. On joining the Country Library Service in October 1941, subscription was replaced with the right to the loan of one book from the fiction section, and one from the main collection, free of charge (“Rules and Details Relating to Change-Over” (Ams 11/6/2).  Children in the borough could now join for free, and funds (around £150 per year) were allocated for children’s books. In 1949, Miss Glenys Martin was appointed as Tauranga’s first children’s librarian.

As Tauranga continued to grow, the library expanded its services. When the city chartered in the 1960s, the now free public library was firmly established as a council-funded institution. A local archive was started in 1976 to preserve Tauranga’s historical documents. Branch libraries were also added, including the Greerton Branch in 1964. Meanwhile, Mount Maunganui opened a temporary library in 1963, which was replaced by a purpose-built facility in 1967. By its centenary in 1971, Tauranga Library had become an indispensable civic institution.

Tauranga Public Library window display c. 1970s, Te Ao Mārama - Tauranga City Libraries Photo 06-337

New Building and Challenges in the 1980s
By the 1980s, Tauranga’s rapid growth strained library facilities. The 1930 Willow Street building was overcrowded and structurally unsafe. Plans were drawn up for a new civic complex, including a library, on the same site. However, this required demolishing the old Town Hall, a heritage building opened in 1916.

Tauranga Town Hall and Library, 1983, Te Ao Mārama - Tauranga City Libraries Photo 07-094

The Library and Town Hall sat on Lot 45, originally acquired by the Church Missionary Society (CMS) to benefit Māori. The decision to demolish and rebuild became central to protests by Ngāi Tamarāwaho against historical injustices. In 1987, members occupied the Town Hall to oppose its demolition, leading to 22 arrests—later overturned. Despite opposition, the council proceeded, demolishing the building in late 1987. As the new library neared completion in 1988, further protests erupted, again disrupting operations. This unrest was a wake up call to library and council staff, who saw the need to engage more effectively with Māori. This eventually bore fruit in the appointment of a Māori Services Librarian in 1992.

Recent Challenges and Renovations (1990s–2020s)
In 1989, the Mount Maunganui Library and Tauranga Public Library amalgamated to form Tauranga District Libraries.  In 2003, the network was officially renamed Te Ao Mārama - Tauranga City Libraries, and in 2006 the Pāpāmoa Library opened.

However, the 1989-built central library began to develop serious structural issues. In late 2014, toxic black mould was discovered in multiple areas of the Willow Street building, prompting evacuations. The council ultimately decided to replace the entire complex, leading to the old library’s demolition in 2022 and the temporary relocation of services to He Puna Manawa on Devonport Road, where it awaits a renewed city beating heart and a return to Lot 45. 

The temporary location at 21 Devonport Road, the  former Goddards Centre, was too small to include the library archive, which was moved off-site.  

The Devonport Street entrance to He Puna Mānawa

A Heartbeat Away 

Today, Te Manawataki o Te Papa civic precinct redevelopment plans includes a new library and community hub on Lot 45, Willow Street. This facility will feature traditional library services, flexible community spaces, a technology-rich innovation area, dedicated zones for children and youth, a café, and a modern archive. Construction began in early 2024, with completion anticipated in late 2026.

Tauranga Library has continually evolved to meet the needs of its growing community. From its modest 19th-century beginnings to its current transformation into a modern civic hub, it remains a cornerstone of knowledge and cultural engagement in the city and the only community facility open to anyone and everyone.  As the Te Manawataki o Te Papa redevelopment takes shape, the library’s future looks set to continue this legacy of service and innovation.

Tauranga Library - Weaving with Aroha (March 2021), Te Ao Mārama - Tauranga City Libraries Photo 21-1212