There may not be a congratulatory letter from the King, but Grey Lynn Library recently celebrated its 100th birthday!
The Grey Lynn Library building was completed in 1924 and has been at the heart of the community for generations.
As well as working at Grey Lynn Library for the past 10 years, Library Assistant Claire Gummer has another special connection to the building – her grandfather, William Henry Gummer, was the architect who designed it.
Claire briefly worked in the Central Library as a school leaver, then in journalism, book selling and publishing before returning to libraries.
“I don’t know why I didn’t stick with libraries in the beginning actually, but I feel like I bring these different areas of experience into my work in the library which feels really good.
“I think our customers really value their relationships with library staff and we feel the same. Being able to find the right book to put in someone’s hand is very rewarding.”
There are no charges for overdue books anymore which Claire says comes as a surprise to many.
“We hope it’s an incentive for people to come back to the library. Of course, if they’re never going to bring a book back, we’ll charge them to replace it, but we don’t want to put people off borrowing things.”
She describes the Grey Lynn community as diverse, with some people who have lived here for a long time, and others who have moved away but still retain their connection with the area.
“A lot of people in this area are pretty eco-friendly, a lot of people are trying to reduce their reliance on cars, and do lots of vegetable gardening, and live more sustainably.
“When people request things in, sometimes [the books] stay here for a while, so collections tend to be influenced by the community which can be really interesting.”
However, it isn’t just about books. Libraries and the way people use them have changed in recent years, leaving behind the idea that they need to be silent places.
Grey Lynn Library offers activities for the community, including Wriggle and Rhyme, school holiday activities, guest speakers, poetry events, courses such as digital literacy, and a group of people who meet weekly to speak te reo Māori.
With fewer home printers, Grey Lynn Library has seen an increase in people coming to the library to do their printing.
The staff also see people who are struggling with the technology required to access some government services.
Library Manager Susan McGreal explains that libraries are becoming more and more a place where community come if they have questions in general about accessing services.
“We offer information on cycling lanes and local activities – things like that,” she says.
“Our staff are always trying to learn and understand what’s happening outside of the library services as well so that they can help our community. What I love about working in this library is how passionate the team is.”
Find out more about libraries and how to get a library card by visiting the Auckland Libraries website.
Stay up to date
Sign up for the Waitematā Local Board E-news and get local news direct to your inbox each month.
