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Last modified: 27 Jul 2021 4:14pm

The mobile library parked in Arthur's Pass

More than 10,000 new members have signed up to Selwyn Libraries in the past year.

Both memberships and loans grew, with library members increasing to over 28,000 people, an increase of 39%, compared to around 17,000 in the previous year.

Digital and physical loans were also up by 27.5% over the same period, with over 500,000 issues.

Manager Arts, Culture and Lifelong Learning, Nicki Moen attributes the result to providing welcoming spaces, inclusive programming and a growing focus on digital content.
“We’ve focused on being good hosts regardless of whether our members are visiting us online or
within our spaces,” she says.

“It’s nice to see more people using our libraries, which is heartening considering the Covid-19 lockdown and the associated restrictions it placed on our service. It really confirms the importance of libraries as places to come together as a community. Our diverse and talented team provide a wonderful service.”

Despite the lockdown, the Libraries team ran over 2,500 programmes at its four libraries and in outlying communities via the Edge Connector Vehicle.

“The result also reflects our commitment to reaching all corners of our district and bringing newcomers into our spaces. We’re also very keen to welcome people back that haven’t visited us in a while. We’re currently working to remove some historic fines to make this easier too,” Ms Moen says.

Selwyn Libraries are located in Rolleston, Leeston, Lincoln and Darfield. Rolleston Library will close in November this year to coincide with the opening of Te Ara A¯ tea on Tennyson Street—which will house the new library as part of its services.

To become a Selwyn Libraries member or talk about clearing historic fines, visit the Selwyn Libraries website or pop in to your local library.