Thousands visit new library
Nearly 13,000 people have visited Christchurch’s newest public building in the three days since it opened.
The city’s new $92 million central library, Tu¯ ranga, opened to the public on Friday when almost
3000 people went through the doors, including 2500 in the first
90 minutes.
Another 4729 went through on Saturday and 5100 yesterday.
Tu¯ ranga manager Chris Hay said it had been hard to predict the likely attendance, but staff had planned for the big numbers.
Staff were seeing lots of people who did not usually use libraries come in to have a look and many had reactivated dormant cards, he said.
‘‘We’ve had lots of comments from people being happy to have a central library to come back to again. People are enjoying access to the collections.’’
Hay said people had also been impressed by the building’s architecture, including what staff have dubbed the ‘‘Harry Potter’’ stairs, which impressively link all the floors from a central atrium.
The library’s five floors hold more than 180,000 printed items –
160,000 of which are books – and a range of technology features including a controversial $1.245 million touchscreen wall.
The seven-metre wall on the ground floor allowed visitors to discover the city through an interactive 3D montage.
There were also studios for music and filmmaking and suites for 3D printing, robotics and laser and vinyl cutting.
The library employs 108 people, many on a part-time basis.