About Ruth Gotlieb (Kilbirnie) Library
Our Library and Community
Our community
Kilbirnie is a bustling multi-cultural community with inhabitants originating from locations as diverse as Asia, Eastern Europe, the Pacific and India. Together with Maori and Pakeha they help make Kilbirnie the thriving community that it is today.
As well as a large population of senior citizens, Kilbirnie also has a large population of children. This is reflected in the two high schools and numerous primary schools in the area. It is a popular area due to its growing shopping centre, excellent public transport and close vicinity to Lyall Bay beach which is very popular with swimmers in the summer months and wind surfers in any wild weather.
Adjacent to the Ruth Gotlieb Library at Kilbirnie are facilities such as the Recreation Centre, Kilbirnie Aquatic Centre and the Kilbirnie-Lyall Bay Plunket. Kilbirnie Park is also very handy and is utilized heavily for rugby and cricket matches.
History of the library
Interest from Kilbirnie residents for a library in their community began as early as 1912. The modesty of the residents' ambitions was touching. The leader of the 1912 delegation proposed that the library might be adequately accommodated in the dressing shed the Council was intending to erect on the recreation ground. It wasn't until 1936 however, that the Lyall Bay Library first opened in what was an old dance and caberet hall on the corner of Wha Street and Onepu Road. Local resident and builder Mr R J Ockenden, made this library space available as he "could see the great value of having a library accessible to the people". The library operated there until 1983 when a new library was opened further along Onepu Road, sharing the George and George building with an electrical shop and later with a funeral home.
In August 1995 funding was approved by the council for a new library to be built in Kilbirnie, and in February 1997 the new library was officially opened on its present site at 101 Kilbirnie Crescent. Most recently, on 11 August 2000, the library at Kilbirnie became known as Ruth Gotlieb Library, to recognise Mrs Gotlieb's outstanding contribution to library services in Wellington.
Features of the library
The building has a modern eye-catching triangle design. It is bordered by a small car park and a brightly coloured children's play ground which is shaded by large pohutukawas. The "promenade" or hallway along the back of the building gives people shelter before entering the library and means they can enter either from Kilbirnie Crescent or Evans Bay Parade. The new building is three times larger than the old library and can hold double the book space.
Inside the building is light and spacious with several nooks in bay windows and comfortable seating areas for people.
The pohutukawas outside, some as old as 75 years, have been made a feature in the library. They are reflected in the colour scheme, the specially printed carpet, on the banners and in the publicity.
Our library team
Our team at Ruth Gotlieb Library hail from diverse backgrounds and locations throughout New Zealand. Most of us live in Wellington but for those of us who don't live in Kilbirnie we are divided between inner city living and coastal dwelling. We have a number of interests between us which include mountain biking, karaoke, arts and crafts, gardening, walking, working with the Greek community, international food and film.
Services we offer
Apart from regular library services such as answering enquiries and issuing and returning library items, the library hosts popular preschool storytimes, holiday programmes, and bookclubs - for more details of these see our What's On page.
Internet access is also available via two services:
- free access to selected sites including reference websites and newspapers online, plus New Zealand government and organisation websites.
- email, search engines (eg. Google) and other general Internet access is available via the "paid internet service''. Minimum access time is 15 minutes ($1.50), with 30 minute and 45 minute time codes also available for purchase. If you do not use all of your time during a session at the computer, you can use up the remaining minutes at any WCL branch within the code's validity (usually 30 days).
Customers can also buy Wellington City Council rubbish bags, daily or monthly parking coupons and recycling bins & bags.
Our collection
Ruth Gotlieb Library holds a large collection of Maori language books for children. Also held are children's books written in Chinese, Gujarati, Vietnamese, Samoan, Tongan, Niuean, Cook Island and French. Also in the children's section is a collection on myths and legends and a nostalgia collection of classic children's stories and folk tales. For our elderly borrowers and people with impaired eyesight we also have a collection of large print books. A vertical file relating to events in Kilbirnie's past and present is also available.
