Library is on the move

The Martinborough Library will finally open in its new home next Monday, after eight months of operating from a Portacom.

Mayor Adrienne Staples will officially open the library with the cutting of a ribbon, at its new Kitchener St location, at midday.

The library was set to make the move early in March but work to modify the building took longer than expected, with shelving still to go in this week.

District librarian Shirley Nightingale said finding a suitable location for the library had been difficult.

"There aren't a lot of sites which are of the right size and location that the library could go in.

"So it took quite a long time and we were just lucky that something came up, because there aren't a lot of vacant spaces.

"It's right in the heart of the village, which is lovely," she said.

Mrs Nightingale said she was looking forward to making the big move. "It's nice to be going in somewhere. It's been lovely working in a Portacom but it has its limits and it is a little cold in the winter," she said.

She has about 10 boxes of new books to unpack and is hoping to have them ready for readers when doors open.

The library has been temporarily housed in the Pain and Kershaw carpark, since its previous Jellicoe St building was deemed earthquake-prone last July.

A seismic assessment report showed the previous building met only 6 per cent of building codes. The new building will be earthquake compliant and services will remain the same, with computer access restored.

The library opens to the public at 9.30am, at 6 Kitchener St.