Changing Spaces: The Adaptation of Public Libraries in Auckland City for New Aucklanders

Abstract

Borrowing books has long been a tradition in many places, whether it is from another person, a school, university library or more commonly, from a public library. Although numerous people still make regular trips to their local libraries, it is the services and social opportunities offered at these places that increasingly see the return of people to such establishments. Access to and the provision of services associated with public libraries has become a particularly significant activity for newly arrived migrants in Auckland’s contemporary landscape. Offering more than a collection of books, libraries increasingly provide a sense of place and community for their users. Like many other places in the city, libraries offer a space open to public use where people can interact, exchange information and engage socially. This thesis contends that the changing spaces in Auckland’s local libraries are particularly important in relation to new migrant users. Interviews, participant observation, focus groups and questionnaire surveys were used to explore this contention at two library sites: suburban New Lynn and Auckland’s Central Library. Key findings include the role of libraries as generators of social capital and providers of a sense of place within a new community. The library can also be seen to operate as a ‘third place’, complementing home and work environments for regular users. In presenting these findings, the thesis contributes to the geography of urban services in Auckland.