|
1875
|
|
A Public meeting was called to adopt rules and hours for mechanics institute.
|
|
1924
|
|
The Library was incorporated into the newly built Town Hall / Cinema.
|
|
1957
|
|
December - The Library then moved, from the Cinema, next door into the combined Community Hall and Library.
|
|
1989
|
|
The Amalgamation of the Timaru, Temuka, Geraldine Boroughs formed the new Library collaboration - the Timaru District Libraries.
|
| 2003 |
|
August - New Library / Service Centre opened on the old Community Hall / Library site in Talbot Street |
View Images
|
11 May 1871
|
First meeting to discuss the formation of a Mechanic's Institute.
|
|
12 Sept 1872
|
First Reading Room and Library opened
|
|
12 Feb 1927
|
The new Temuka Library, Plunket and Rest Rooms on King Street were opened by T D Burnett Esq, MP, who had donated £500 to the building fund from the wool clip at his Mt Cook Station.
A contemporary newspaper article stated:
"The circulating library contains over 2,500 volumes out of which every taste in literature can be satisfied .... Lacking neither dignity nor individuality, this artistically designed addition to the town was built to the plans and specifications of the architects Messrs Turnbull and Rule, by Mr A Kennedy, Timaru and for beauty of outline and faithful workmanship could not be excelled."
|
|
1989
|
The Amalgamation of the Timaru, Temuka, Geraldine Boroughs formed the new Library collaboration - the Timaru District Libraries.
|
|
1997
|
New Temuka Library, Service Centre and Information Centre was opened in the old Temuka supermarket on King Street (the original building was built in 1911).
|
|
|
1862
|
First Reading Room opened in the School House, Barnard Street. It was open daily from 5.00 to 10.00pm and on Saturdays daily from 10.00am to 8.00pm. English and Colonial papers were provided, and a select library of books for the use of members.
|
|
1870
|
1 July opening of the Mechanics Institute (Public Library) which created by an addition on an existing building, on the south side of North Street, which aimed to provide a Library, Reading Room and News Room.
|
|
1880
|
29 October – total destruction of the Mechanics Institute building when it was burned down during the holding of a church bazaar.
A new building was erected on the same site at a cost of £1,400. |
|
1905
|
Scheme for a Municipal Library was set afoot by Mayor James Craigie. The subscribers to the Mechanics Institute agreed to present the old building and its contents to the Council if it established a Municipal Library in a new building.
|
|
1906
|
Timaru Public Library Act was passed to enable the Council and the Trustees to use the proceeds from the sale of the buildings and land of the old institute to be spent on books. |
1909
|
4 June – Official opening of Timaru Public Library on the present Timaru District Council site. The Library was built with a £ 3,000 grant from Carnegie Corporation (Andrew Carnegie) of New York and was designed by Walter Panton.
It was built in Oamaru Stone. The condition under which the money was given was that the reading rooms should be open to everyone and that the lending library should be free to ratepayers of the borough.
The Borough Council, however, considered that everyone who paid rent was indirectly a ratepayer, and it was decided the library should be free to both rentpayers and ratepayers.
The Timaru Library is believed to be the first in the Dominion for which this concession was made. |
| 1959 |
Timaru celebrated 50 years of Public Library service – in the first 50 years more than 10,000,000 issues have been made. |
|
1965
|
Proposal for a new library, estimated to cost £184,000 was approved by the Timaru City Council – subject to a ratepayers poll on a loan to finance the building.
The library was to be erected on block of land on corner of George and Barnard Streets, however the Local Authorities Loans Board refused the Timaru City Council’s application for sanction to raise the loan. |
| 1979 |
7 May – Current library was opened on Sophia Street. It was designed by Miles, Warren and Mahoney and opened by Sir Keith Holyoake. |
| 1989 |
Timaru City, Temuka, Geraldine Boroughs and the Strathallan County amalgamated to form the Timaru District and the Timaru District Libraries was born
|
Click to view images
|
|
