Manurewa Library is one of Auckland's brightest.
If you're not lucky enough to live in Manurewa, I suggest you visit soon.
The Auckland Botanic Gardens are capacious, their gateway building is elegant and their biennial sculpture trail opens on November 11. And less than a mile away - past the Nathan Homestead art gallery, following Hill Rd's
magnificent trees and surprisingly interesting houses - is the wonderful Manurewa Library, built in 1981.
The first time I visited the library, a year ago, I had the whanau in tow for a Star Wars afternoon. A stormtrooper, an ewok and a wookie entered a bar - no wait, a library. We ogled them. "Only one rule," said the librarian. "Please try to remember: do not hit our visitors, okay?" We took pictures with Chewbacca instead; his fur smelled a bit, which lent a nice authenticity to the whole thing.
That day was humid and the library's expansive roof - sloped as if it were an enormous tiled fale cut in half lengthways - steamed enthusiastically outside. Inside, you find yourself in a high-ceilinged, slightly-curved rectangle - enormous but warm and welcoming.
Nicely-placed bookshelves display front covers at eye level; this enhances the browsing experience. You're guaranteed to find something that will surprise you, such as a picture book by Kurt Vonnegut, a book of physiology infographics or a discussion of verse biographies (life stories in rhyme?).
