Hastings District Libraries

From a free reading room to computerised services the Hastings Library has evolved over many years. Our buildings have been built, fallen down (literally), moved, rebuilt and extended, to provide a much used community service in the heart of Hastings.

Photos: The top photo shows the old Hastings Library building in Market Street South, destroyed in the 1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake, as shown in the photo below.

The information below is quoted from City of the Plains by M. B. Boyd.  More interesting details are in this book, including the falling out with the Carnegie Corporation! 

Pre 1901

Library service was given by the Atheneum Society with a  popular free reading room in Market Street. After the Government cut the subsidy, it quickly got into debt.

1901 - 1904

The Hastings Borough Council considers (6/06/1901) and acts (7/10/1901) to take over the Atheneum.  In 1902 Mr H J Burton was appointed Librarian.  A Carnegie grant for a free public library was received (6/10/1904).

1905

Building began after acceptance of a tender (16/11/1905) and the new two storied red brick library in Market Street South was opened on 16/9/1907.

1931

On 3 February 1931 at 10:47 am Hawke's Bay was devastated by an earthquake with the magnitude of 7.8.  The business centres of Hastings and Napier were reduced to ruins. The Hastings Public Library building collapsed "entombing newspaper readers".
 
"As past Councils had failed to maintain the old library on a free basis, the Carnegie Foundation declined to replace it. A temporary library was established in the municipal building but was extremely deficient in reference works...indeed it was little more than a source of cheap fiction that competed with commercial book clubs.  Children's books were selected more intelligently and included reference works.

"By 31 March 1936, the library had 1,320 subscribers, 823 adults and 497 children, 6,497 books and a staff of two, but little was done to further the long-term objective of a new library on Civic Square."
 
The library continued to function on the ground floor of the municipal building, in Heretaunga Street East (where Hutchinson's furniture shop is at present).

After much controversy about what form a war memorial should take, it was finally decided this should be a new (free) library on Civic Square.

1952

Photo: fundraising for the new library. " Authentic Original Gowns, lent for display, Cornwell Park (sic) 26/11/52, Fund raising for Hastings & Districts, War Memorial Library".

1959

The original building on the present Civic Square site was built as a War Memorial Library.  Designed by Davies, Phillips & Chapman, it was built by J.C.Mackersey Ltd and opened on 18 October 1959. 

The Hall of Memories commemorates those who served in both World Wars and in conflicts in Korea 1950-53, Malaya 1952-66, Borneo 1964-66 and Vietnam 1964-72.

The  Hall of Memories windows and mural, and the bas relief plaques outside were designed and painted by Peter McIntyre.

The mural depicts a joint assault by the three branches of the armed forces on an unspecified beach..

Restoration work was undertaken on the mural in 1994 with the assistance of the New Zealand Lottery Grants Board.

1991

Restructuring as a result of the Council amalgamations was completed and the Havelock North Library joined the Hastings Library and Flaxmere Library to become the Hastings District Libraries.

1993

The Hastings Library was extensively altered in 1993, with two new wings added plus a mezzanine floor.  The refurbished library was opened on 17 July 1993 by the then Mayor of Hastings, Mr Jeremy Dwyer.

The building increased in size from 920 sq metres to 2410 sq metres (including the Hall of Memories).

The extensions were designed by David Ironside of Works Consultancy in Spanish Mission style, and feature large windows to give a sense of light and space.