Library Out Loud

The Wellington Campus library has moved to temporary premises to allow for the completion of window replacement and seismic strengthening of Block 5.

The temporary space selected was Block 5, Level F (5F) an earlier recipient of the seismic strengthening programme, and one of the few spaces on the Wellington campus offering the required combination of open space that could accommodate a sizeable book collection and office spaces for staff and student use.

The logistics of moving a library collection hit home very quickly and it took several months to determine how much of the collection would fit on 5F and how to split the collection between 5F and the storage area provided.  Preserving the library experience for students was also a key component of the planning, acknowledging the challenges of achieving this in a more constrained space.

 The move began on 24 January and took three weeks to complete. The Interim Library, as the temporary space has been named, opened for business on Wednesday 8 February. The full collection is available for use, although sections of it are stored on a separate floor and is available by request only. Shelving is interspersed with study spaces and a sizable computer hub has been constructed at the southern end of the floor. The northern end combines shelving with study tables, comfy chairs and sofas. While the space offers only two bookable study rooms, the library has been provided with two additional study rooms in Block 7.

Communication of the impending move and promotion of the temporary space has been a core component of the library’s planning. Initial comms advising of the move included bulk emails to staff and students and liaison with MAWSA to tap into their social media channels. Posters incorporating carefully curated branding have also been utilised both in the library and on social media as a way of providing updates on the planned move and location of the Interim Library. With the closure of the existing library, the posters have taken on a wayfinding role, leading students from the Level A library entrance to the doors of the Interim Library on Level F. Promotion of the Interim Library will intensify during O-week and the beginning of Semester 1 to ensure we not only introduce new students to the space, but also update returning students of the change in location

It’s anticipated that the Interim Library will be in use for 12-18 months.

If you have any questions, please contact Joy Wearne, Wellington Campus Librarian on j.wearne@massey.ac.nz