Hamilton City Libraries

This article is about the libraries in Hamilton, New Zealand. For other libraries, see Hamilton Library.

Hamilton City Libraries is the city-council-owned public library system of the city of Hamilton, Waikato, New Zealand.^[3] The library lends fiction and non-fiction (for all ages), magazines, audiobooks, and DVDs.

Hamilton City Libraries
Location	Hamilton, New Zealand
Branches	Seven[1]
Collection
Size	over 400,000
Other information
Director	Rebecca Whitehead[2]
Website	hamiltonlibraries.co.nz

From November 2016 to 9 July 2018, a substitute library compensated for the temporarily closed Central branch,^[4] and the libraries closed for over 2 months for COVID-19 in 2020.^[5] Waikato District residents living close to Hamilton City can freely use the Hamilton libraries.^[6]

Public library history

In 1871 Hamilton Institute appointed a librarian,^[7] with support from Auckland Provincial Council. By 1874 its reading room had 209 books and 72 subscribers,^[5] but, although its books were largely saved from a fire,^[8] the secretary then decamped with the funds.^[9]

A poll under the Public Libraries Act 1869 rejected a rate to set up a library by 17:7 in 1883;^[10] without a council decision, the Act required at least 10 ratepayers to request a poll.^[11] Next year a new library was established by subscriptions in the Union Bridge toll house,^[12] tolls having ended in January 1883,^[13] and it was officially opened on 10 October 1884. A new building at the south end of Victoria Street opened on 22 April 1899. Andrew Carnegie library, designed by Rigby and Warren,^[5] opposite Garden Place,^[14] was opened by Sir Joseph Ward on 17 February 1908.^[15] By 1928 it had 892 subscribers and 10,000 books^[16] and, by 1948, 2,344 subscribers and 130,674 books.^[17] In June 1960 a new council building opened on Worley St and the library moved from the Carnegie site, which was sold.^[5] The Carnegie Library briefly became a Lions opp shop,^[18] before being demolished about 1961.^[19] In 1968 it moved to William Paul Hall, formerly the Waikato Winter Show building and has been in Garden Place since 20 March 1993.^[5]

Frankton Library officially opened on 22 September 1923^[20] and in 1950 became a branch of Hamilton Public Library.^[5]

As of 1980^[update], Hamilton had one of the country's largest public libraries.^[21]

Branches

Hamilton Central Library, located in Garden Place, converted from the Arthur Barnett department store (former Drapery and General Importing Company - DIC) and opened on 20 March 1993. The facade is being replaced between August 2025 and February 2026^[22]

There are seven current branches:

Branch	Notes
Central Library - Te Koopuu Maania o Kirikiriroa	In November 2016, the Central branch was closed until 9 July 2018 for earthquake strengthening.[23] A pop-up library operated temporarily out of the reception lounge in the nearby municipal building while the Central branch was closed.[4]
Chartwell Library - Kukutaaruhe	Opened 10 September 1984.[5]
Dinsdale Library - Te Tiwha O Pareiiriwhare	Opened 17 August 1985.[5]
Glenview Library - Mangakootukutuku	Opened 8 November 1989.[5]
Hillcrest Library - Manga-o-nua	Opened in August 1982 and moved to Masters Ave in 1997.[5]
St Andrews Library - Waiwherowhero	Opened 23 February 1990,[5] as a replacement for Frankton Library,[24] on Hall Street,[25] which was demolished about 1983 to make way for the new bridge over the railway.[26]
Te Kete Aronui - Rototuna Library	Opened 21 July 2023.[27]