Library on the move (+video)

About 100,000 books are on the move, as Rotorua District Library moves to its new temporary location.

The library was closed today and will remain closed tomorrow as staff moved to the former Van Dyk's building on the corner of Pukuatua St and Amohia St.

It will be there for about 18 months while work on the Haupapa St building is underway.

Library director Jane Gilbert said the books had to be moved onto trolleys, which were then shrink wrapped and transported to the new location, before being put back on the shelves.

"We have to keep them [the books] in order as much as we can, otherwise it would be really chaotic."

Library staff had been busy over the last several months preparing for the move, she said.

This included condensing the stock so it did not take up as many shelves, readying archives and resource material for transportation, and boxing everything up.

Library users were also encouraged to check out as many books as possible to reduce the number that needed moving, and none were due back until August 31, Mrs Gilbert said.

Mrs Gilbert said all the library's computers, and free internet and wifi would be at the new location, along with brand new self-issue machines.

There would also be a coffee cart at the new location, she said.

She said a challenge had been moving the Don Stafford collection as some items were quite valuable and fragile, as well as moving the little bits and pieces such as bookends and display units.

The first event in the new location will be local chef Deep Thakur speaking at 6pm on Thursday.

Maintenance on the Haupapa St building includes the roof, and once refurbished, it will accommodate some child-health related services to be provided by Lakes District Health Board, which will become a tenant.

Mrs Gilbert said the move was going well.

"Staff are working really hard, everyone is doing things they don't usually do".

The library will be open for business as usual in its new home from 9.30am on Wednesday.