New library cards reflect city's past and present

Hamilton’s past and present is reflected in a series of colourful new library cards being issued by Hamilton City Libraries.

The range of 12 new designs is the first update of the Hamilton City Libraries cards in almost a decade. The range features images of the Carnegie Library, which was sited on Victoria Street, the famous arches of the Fairfield Bridge, the Ting Pavilion in the Chinese Scholar’s Garden at Hamilton Gardens, Maori designs which feature in the Garden Place Library, and Honu – the libraries’ tortoise mascot.

“The new cards are funky, attractive and exciting, and several feature our well-known orange tag design, continuing our brand,” Circulation Services Manager Meg Bryant says. “Many of the designs stem from ideas put forward by our staff.”

Mrs Bryant says the new cards went into circulation this month and feedback has been very positive.
Existing customers can choose a new card to replace their old one at a cost of $3. New library customers can select the card design of their choice at no cost.  The new library cards can be seen here.

Hamilton City Libraries has also launched a new “Pick a Pack” service, through which libraries staff select and put together a bundle of books in a certain genre, so they can be borrowed by customers who are pressed for time.

Mrs Bryant says the “Pick a Pack” service has proven popular at libraries around New Zealand, and gives readers a chance to explore authors they may not have otherwise encountered.

“The packs are placed at the libraries’ front counter, so they can be picked up quickly. They’re wrapped in brown paper and tied with string, so the readers don’t know what they will be getting.”

Mrs Bryant says the “Pick a Pack” service is also proving popular, and the packs cover a range of genre including biographies, novels and graphic novels.

“Pick a Packs” are free of charge.