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West Harbour Community Board
21 August 2019
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Part
A Reports
Library Activity Report
Department: Arts and Culture
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1 This
report provides a summary of the activities of the Dunedin Public Libraries
during 2018/19, with a focus on the Port Chalmers Library and Service Centre.
2 The
report provides an overview and comment on library usage for 2018/19.
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RECOMMENDATIONS
That the Board:
a) Notes the
Library Activity Report
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BACKGROUND
3 Not
applicable
DISCUSSION
Operational
and Project Activities
Statistics
4 Total
loans for the period 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019 were 1,218,133 representing a
decrease of 20,013 loans or -1.6% compared to the same period in 2017/18.
Decreased loans were recorded at the City and Mosgiel Libraries and on the
Bookbuses while increased loans were recorded at the Blueskin Bay, Port
Chalmers, South Dunedin and Waikouaiti Libraries.
5 Visitation
to Libraries was relatively stable in 2018/19 with a total of 1,148,380 visits,
down by 5,858 visits or -0.5% compared to 2017/18. Visitation to the Port
Chalmers Library reflected this trend with an increase of 156 visits or 0.2%.
6 A
total of 111,014 reference enquiries were received by Libraries during 2018/19
representing a decrease of 8,883 enquiries or -7.4% compared to the same period
in 2017/18. Reference enquiries at the Port Chalmers Library also followed this
trend with a decrease of 905 enquiries or -13.6%.
7 The
total number of public programmes and participants at events across the Dunedin
Public Libraries increased to 2,329 programmes and 53,368 participants in
2018/19, up by 389 programmes (20.1%) and 8,382 participants (18.6%). The
number of events and participants at the Port Chalmers Library followed this
trend with a total of 311 events (up by 57.9%) and 2,782 participants (up by
115.5%).
8 All
Dunedin Public Libraries provide free access to the Internet through a
partnership with the Aotearoa People’s Network Kaharoa (APNK) using
computers in libraries and wifi. In addition to APNK, four libraries (City,
Mosgiel, Port Chalmers and South Dunedin) are GigCity Wifi Hotspots. Due to a
change in provider, statistics are not available for the APNK wifi network, but
for the GigCity wifi, there was an increase of 14.4% in total wifi sessions to
a total of 2,540,043 for 2018/19, despite a decrease in the number of active
users by 3.5%. The number of GigWifi sessions at the Port Chalmers Library
increased to a total of 269,979 in 2018/19 (up by 20.9%).
Service Centre
9 Usage
of the Port Chalmers Service Centre increased in 2018/19 to a total of 1,418
transactions, up by 25 transactions or 1.8%, with animal registrations, rubbish
bag sales, parking ticket payments and rates being the busiest areas of
activity.
Citywide Activities
Fine Free for Children Trial
10 From 1 July 2019, the Dunedin Public Libraries will be trialling
‘Fine Free’ for child and youth members of the library. While
there are already no overdue or holds charges for children, the trial will
evaluate the removal of $2.50 per item account fee on items borrowed by
children and then returned after an account has been sent. These charges
represent a significant financial barrier and disincentive for some
families. The replacement cost and associated charges will still apply
for items not returned, lost or damaged. The anticipated reduction in revenue
from the waiver of the $2.50 account fee will be offset by cost reductions
achieved by debt follow up process efficiencies.
Babytime Sessions Commence
in City Library
11 A
new literacy-based programme for babies was launched in the City Library. The
Babytime programme is a 30-minute introduction to storytime for children under
two and their caregivers where a librarian will share stories, music, finger
plays and nursery rhymes to promote early literacy with activities and strategies
that can be used at home. The community response to initial sessions has been
very positive.
Around the World in Eighty
Tales
12 The
Around the World in Eighty Tales storytelling festival has grown in
popularity and has now become an annual event with storytelling in Burundi,
Hindi, French, German, Italian, Turkish, Nepalese, NZSL, te Reo Maori and
Portuguese in the City Library on 30 March 2019. The festival has become a
family day with stories suitable for all ages. All stories were retold in
English. The festival this year also included performances by Kadodo West
African drummers, dancers from India and Kiribati, Rudolph Steiner's puppetry,
and Braille stories by That Blind Woman, Julie Woods.
2018 National Poetry Day
13 National
Poetry Day was celebrated on 24 August 2018 with an evening event featuring
Owen Marshall and Graeme Sydney which was attended by a total of 252 people.
Manjushri Sand Mandala
14 During
April 2019, Geshe from the Dhargyey Buddhist Centre in Dunedin were in the City
Library on a daily basis to create a beautiful Manjushri sand mandala, to speak
to members of the public on its philosophical importance, and to support an
educational programme by Libraries staff for a total of 240 students from eight
schools across the city over a three week period, in addition to approximately
100 people who attended the commencement and dissolution ceremonies.
2018 New Zealand
International Science Festival
15 The
Dunedin City Library and the South Dunedin Community Pop Up were key venues for
the 2018 New Zealand International Science Festival held in Dunedin from 6-15
July 2018, with a total of 1,054 participants at library venues.
Voices and Votes: A Tribute
to Women’s Suffrage
16 An
exhibition titled Voices and Votes paying tribute to 125 years of New
Zealand women’s suffrage was launched in August 2018. The exhibition
showcases early women writers and other creative women of the times to
complement the story of the women’s suffrage movement.
2019 UNESCO Dunedin City of
Literature Robert Burns Poetry Competition
17 The
prize winners of the 2019 Robert Burns Poetry Competition were announced on 25
January 2019, with a total of 66 entries across all three sections (Published
Poet, Unpublished Poet and Youth Poet). There was a dramatic increase in
the number of entries in the Youth Poet Section to a total of 36, resulting
from a series of workshops conducted by two Dunedin poets with secondary
schools on Burns work and writing in Scots.
2018/19 City of Readers
Programme
18 The
2018/19 Dunedin City of Literature Summer Reading Programme on the theme of
City of Readers concluded in February 2019 with a total of 733 registrations
for the programme, up from 498 registrations for the 2017/18 Summer Reading
Programme.
Port Chalmers Library
Activities
19 The
Port Chalmers Library offers a broad range of regular public programmes
including Pre-School Storytime sessions, Children’s Book Club, Book Share
group, Lego Club, Children’s Chess Club, Nautical Knitters and Justice of
the Peace sessions.
20 In
addition to its regular public programmes, the Port Chalmers Library offered a
range of one-off programmes including J & K Rolling on 14 March 2019
featuring Dunedin poets Jenny Powell and Kay McKenzie Cooke; Celebration of the
recently published book Tony Williams Goldsmith on 29 November 2018; Workshop
for junior writers hosted by Ella West on 3 October 2018 and a talk by Kate
Fitzharris titled the Library of Things on her 2018 ceramics residency
in Wanganui in 2018 .
Mobile Libraries
Mobile Library Review Implementation
21 A
project to refresh the mobile library service offered by the Dunedin Public
Libraries is in progress with plans to replace the current two bus style
vehicles, now over 28 years old and requiring increased maintenance, with one
bus style vehicle and a smaller van style vehicle, as well as revamping the
service timetable. The Council has applied to the Energy Efficiency and
Conservation Authority (EECA) for a grant to enable both vehicles to be fully
electric, in alignment with Council’s sustainability agenda and will
learn the outcome of this funding application on 31 July 2019. It is
anticipated that the new timetable and vehicles will be in place by the first
quarter of 2020.
Hunt for the Wilderbus
22 In
January 2019, a special one-week programme titled ‘Hunt for the
Wilderbus’ was conducted where the Bookbus was parked in a different
holiday destination for the whole day. Destinations included outside the Otago
Museum, outside Toitu Otago Settlers Museum, at Brighton, Macandrew Bay, Marlow
Park and at the Gardens in North Dunedin. Over the six days, more than 1,700
people visited the Bookbus at its various locations. The objective of the
week-long programme was to promote the Bookbus service and explore the
community response to the Bookbus attending special events and programmes.
Library Buildings
Mosgiel Library Re-Roofing Project
23 A
project to replace the roof and improve the thermal stability of the Mosgiel
Library commenced in June with anticipated completion by December 2019.
Then project will involve the construction of a new roof over the top of the
existing structure with the replacement of some skylights and the installation
of insulation and heat pumps to stabilise temperatures during winter and
summer. Associated with this project, the installation of exterior
lighting for the Library car park is being investigated.
South Dunedin Library and Community
Complex
24 The
South Dunedin Library and Community Complex project has progressed
significantly in 2018/19 with Council securing a site for the development in
March 2019. Purchased for $4.75M, the 4,581m2 property (land and
buildings) on the corner of King Edward Street and Macandrew Road has good
carparking, is close to bus services, is earthquake strengthened and provides a
street frontage on King Edward Street. It is planned to use existing buildings
on about 1,200m2 of the site for the library and community complex
and retain the tenants in the remainder of the building. A budget of
$5.25 million was provided in 10 year plan and additional funding to complete
the project will be considered in the 2020/21 Annual Plan process. Work
is underway on a preliminary design concept with $1M allocated for design,
planning and initial work in in 2019/20.
Library Facilities Upgrade
Projects
25 In
addition to its involvement in the South Dunedin Library and Community Complex
and the Mosgiel Library Re-Roofing Projects, the Council Property Services
department is coordinating a number of maintenance projects to improve the City
Library. A major maintenance project to seal all roof and balcony areas
while also repairing damaged areas on the concrete exterior in in progress with
anticipated completion by August 2019.
26 In
addition, projects to ensure compliance with building consent and disability
access will be undertaken. Simultaneously, a project to upgrade the three lifts
in the City Library building is in progress, with anticipated completion by
December 2019.
27 Planning
is also underway to identify the priorities and key areas of focus for a
refurbishment within the City Library in 2020/21, with funding of $1.9M in the
Annual Plan. It is planned to develop a functional brief for this refurbishment
by December 2019 to enable more detailed project planning before 2020/21.
OPTIONS
28 There
are no options as this report is for information only.
NEXT STEPS
29 There
are no next steps as this report is for information only.
Signatories
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Author:
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Bernie Hawke - Library Services Manager
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Authoriser:
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Simon Pickford - General Manager Community Services
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Attachments
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Title
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Page
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⇩a
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Library and Service
Centre Statistics - Activity Report
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25
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SUMMARY OF CONSIDERATIONS
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Fit with purpose
of Local Government
This decision promotes the cultural
well-being of communities in the present and for the future.
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Fit with strategic
framework
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Contributes
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Detracts
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Not applicable
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Social Wellbeing Strategy
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☒
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☐
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☐
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Economic Development Strategy
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Environment Strategy
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☒
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Arts and Culture Strategy
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3 Waters Strategy
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☐
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Spatial Plan
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☐
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☐
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☒
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Integrated Transport Strategy
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☐
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☐
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☒
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Parks and Recreation Strategy
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☐
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Other strategic projects/policies/plans
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☐
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The information in this report supports the Social
Wellbeing Strategy by the role of libraries in promoting ‘Connected
People’ and ‘Vibrant and Cohesive Communities’; the
Economic Development Strategy by providing library resources and services
that support ‘Business Vitality’ and ‘Alliances for Innovation’
as well as providing the library collection resources and public programmes
that support the Arts and Culture Strategy.
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Māori Impact
Statement
There are no known impacts for tangata whenua.
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Sustainability
There are no implications for sustainability
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LTP/Annual Plan /
Financial Strategy /Infrastructure Strategy
There are no LTP, Annual Plan of Financial Strategy
implications
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Financial
considerations
There are no financial implications
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Significance
The matters raised in this report are considered low
significance in terms of the Council’s Significance and Engagement
Policy
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Engagement –
external
There has been no external engagement
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Engagement -
internal
There has been no internal engagement
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Risks: Legal /
Health and Safety etc.
There are no identified legal or health and safety risks
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Conflict of
Interest
There are no known conflicts of interest
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Community Boards
The purpose of this report is to provide information to
the Community Board
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