The library at Mount Maunganui

Early Years and Establishment (1963–1988)

Today's Te Ao Mārama – Mount Maunganui Library, began its life in a temporary building on Pūriri Street in August 1963, thanks to a building loaned by local builder Barry Beazley. 

Mount Maunganui Public Library, Pūriri Street in 1963.
Te Ao Mārama - Tauranga City Libraries Photo gcc-2872

In 1967, the Mount Maunganui Borough Council established the library in its permanent home on Maunganui Road. Designed by architects Ellison & Acheson, the modernist building officially opened on 19 August 1967, quickly becoming a vital community space. It cost $36,000 dollars to build.

Mount Maunganui Public Library under construction in 1967.
Te Ao Mārama - Tauranga City Libraries Photo gca-15519

In 1968 the library trialed two suburban “pick-up” points (at Matua Dairy and Brookfield Stationers) to bring books closer to outlying communities. A full Mobile Library service was officially launched in 1974. To meet demand, an additional “Seuss Hoose” (van and caravan) were acquired in the mid-1970s. This enabled the service to bring more children’s books to the suburbs.

By 1988, due to growing community demand, the Borough Council nearly doubled the library buildings size to 850 m². An early computer system was put in at the same time, which cost the council $52,000.

Opening of Mount Maunganui Library extensions, 1988.
Te Ao Mārama - Tauranga City Libraries Photo 99-647

Council Amalgamation and Upgrades (1989–2016)

The following year local government reforms led to the amalgamation of the Mount Maunganui Borough into Tauranga District, bringing the Mount Library into the newly unified Tauranga City Libraries system. This merger improved services, standardized library operations across the region, and increased community access to resources.

Mount Maunganui Library and staff, 8 April 2002. From left to right: Michelle Anderson, Tina Milroy, Elizabeth McMaster (Team Leader), Cheryl Goodwin, Jane Johnston. Te Ao Mārama - Tauranga City Libraries Photo 03-147

Throughout the 1990s and into the 2010s, the library underwent several refurbishments and safety upgrades. The building interior was  modernized in 1999 around the time a new mobile bus was put into service. In 2008 the bus was outfitted with a new RFID-based self-checkout system at the same time as the branch libraries, allowing faster scanning of items on board.

In 2014, a proposal to cut funding threatened to “permanently park” the service as a cost-saving measure but strong public protest and support for the mobile library’s value helped fend off this threat. That same year the bus was involved in a road accident in Welcome Bay, which temporarily took it out of service. In 2015 it was repainted in local coastline and blooming pōhutukawa trees themes. 

2015 and 2016 also saw some seismic strengthening and asbestos removal from the library building. 

Te Ao Mārama Hub (2019–Present)

In 2019, the Mount Library integrated Tauranga City Council's local customer service centre into its space, rebranding itself as "Te Ao Mārama – Mount Maunganui Library". This transition strengthened council services with the community hub nature inherent in public libraries.

That year after two decades of faithful service, the old bus was finally retired and a new mobile library bus was launched in March. It had improvements like a lower boarding platform with wide steps, no internal stairs, a comfortable seating area, magazine racks, and air conditioning for hot summer. It could fit a classroom of 25 children inside it. 

The Mobile bus visits Cherrywood in 2021
Te Ao Mārama - Tauranga City Libraries Photo 21-899

Today, both Te Ao Mārama – Mount Maunganui Library and its Mobile Library remain vital services, providing educational resources, community connection, and cultural enrichment to the growing Bay of Plenty region.