Library booking up business events

Michelle Sims says the library aims for a relaxed and casual atmosphere, where people feel comfortable asking any questions they may have. Photo / John Borren

Tauranga City Libraries is getting into business.

Last week saw a panel discussion on co-working spaces, the latest event in its business@the library programme aimed at fostering more interest in and knowledge about business.

"It's a new initiative we established late last year," said Michelle Sims, serials and business librarian. "We held a very well-attended panel discussion on social media marketing and, following that, we received a lot of feedback suggesting people would like us to hold more such events for business."

Business @ the Library now holds events about six-weekly.

"We aim for a relaxed and casual atmosphere, where people feel comfortable asking any questions they may have," said Ms Sims.

Last week's event focused on co-working, with guest speakers Susanne Irwin from Ignition, Steven Vincent from Basestation, and Sheldon Nesdale from Marketing First.

Mr Nesdale said business@the library highlighted the changes libraries were going through.

"The library's no longer just about picking up a paper-based book," he said. "It could be a meeting place, it could be a place where we consume electronic information as well. I think the evolution is interesting."

Basestation's Steven Vincent said the initiative was a positive development because it attracted a cross-section of the community. "They're taking it outside the traditional business location and places where you usually do these things and bringing it to a relaxed environment."

Co-working has exploded in Tauranga over the past couple of years. Speakers at last week's event said co-working was seen as a more affordable option than leasing traditional office space and provided greater flexibility. Perhaps more importantly, co-working allowed for interaction and the cross-pollination of ideas and expertise between the people working in the space.

In addition to Ignition, based out of the Priority One offices, and Basestation, set up by the Venture Centre, Tauranga's co-working spaces included Studio 64 and 64-bit in the central business district. There are also co-working spaces at 6 Tawa and The Junction in Mount Maunganui, said Mr Nesdale, who co-founded the Studio 64 co-working space and is now located at Basestation.

"There's no competition between the co-working spaces," said Mr Nesdale. "Not every one of our spaces suits every person, so they should go and see which one feels like home."

Mr Vincent said he believed co-working spaces would continue to grow in Tauranga.

"Just this week I had an approach from a building company that has moved to a new location and was interested in opening up some of their space for co-working," he said.

"People are getting the idea there is value in collaborating and building a community of practice around a particular industry."