Seamless library access across the region coming soon

200,000 residents from the Wellington region could soon be able to access more than half a million books, DVDs, CDs and magazines across any one of 18 libraries in the region, using a single library membership card.

“The aim is if you live in the Hutt, Porirua or Kapiti Coast, or if you study with Weltec, you’ll be able to search, borrow and return items across any of the libraries,” says Hutt City Council chief executive Tony Stallinger.

“We know many of our residents live in one area and work in another – they’ll be able to pick up the books from one library during their work day and drop them off to their home library in the evenings or weekends,” says Porirua City Council chief executive Roger Blakeley.

This will be possible because the Hutt City, Porirua City and Kapiti Coast District councils along with Weltec (Wellington Institute of Technology) have signed an agreement to move to a shared library system from mid 2010.

This New Zealand first with Civica Pty Limited will see the technology platform managed by Civica, allowing libraries to provide customers with ever-improving services and products.

“Working in partnership with other libraries and knowing we all share up to date and internationally recognised technology is smart business from our perspective,” says Kapiti Coast District Council chief executive Pat Dougherty.

One of New Zealand’s first partnerships between public and academic libraries, the Memorandum of Commitment cements Weltec’s place as an important tertiary institution in the community.

Additional benefits of this agreement include library system costs fixed for five years, increased purchasing power and the sharing of library staff expertise across the region.

Masterton District Council are looking to enter the regional initiative in early 2010.