Alexandra booklovers will be able to enjoy their newly refurbished library next month.

Alexandra Library - Te Whare Pukapuka will reopen at the Tarbert Street site on December 2, after operating from a pop-up at the Central Stories Museum and Art Gallery since June while an extensive refurbishment took place.

Central Otago District Council group manager – community experience David Scoones said the library team was ‘’delighted’’ to be giving the community a pre-Christmas treat by being able to re-open at Tarbert Street, 

“It’s been 15 years in the making and nearly six months in the creation, and we are so looking forward to being able to show the community their newly refurbished space,’’’ David said.

“A very heartfelt thanks to the community, the team at Central Stories for accommodating us during this time, and especially our staff for their adaptability and hard work over the past six months.”

Libraries Manager Aimee Pieterse, filling the new shelves at the newly refurbished Alexandra Library - Te Whare Pukapuka. PHOTO: CENTRAL OTAGO DISTRICT COUNCIL

Libraries manager Aimee Pieterse said it had been a "real challenge’’ being in a smaller space the past six months.

“But it’s really highlighted for us, regardless of the space, the importance of libraries to the community, and how people embraced the temporary pop-up space, where we were able to continue meeting their needs,’’ she said.

“It’s going to be so wonderful to be back at Tarbert Street, and being able to offer the community a wonderful, refurbished space.”

The $1.035million renovation included a cosmetic internal renovation of the Alexandra Library, new office equipment, toilet facilities for customer use, shelving and general enhancement.

Sixty per cent of the project cost was funded by the Government’s Better Off Funding.

Additionally, the Better Off funding also provided $361,000 towards the installation of a wireless radio tagging system, with Central Otago Libraries converting its collection to Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) barcodes since February.

Alexandra Library – Te Whare Pukapuka will officially reopen on December 2. PHOTO: CENTRAL OTAGO DISTRICT COUNCIL

Council property and facilities Officer Bex Snape, oversaw the refurbishment and said the project team had worked hard to ‘’ensure the project ran to schedule, and on budget, to meet the needs of locals and visitors alike’’.

“The new refurbished space provides for the traditional and ever-evolving positive role of library service,’’ she said.

‘’It offers welcoming, modern, flexible spaces for the whole community to use to come together and connect.”

The library will officially open to the public on December 2 at 11am.

The temporary pop-up library in Central Stories will be closed next week (November 25-30) while staff move back into Tarbert Street building.

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