Napier Library’s current location at the MTG was never going to be big enough or the right location to be the permanent main library for a city the size of Napier. Running the library from this temporary location has become increasingly challenging. The MTG site is not the right building or location for a library to be in from a Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) perspective. In recent years staff and library services have been affected by anti-social and inappropriate activities in and around the library, which is bringing extra costs such as security guards.
It was always necessary for Napier Library to close before our new library on Hastings Street opens. This is currently scheduled for mid-2027. Initially the plan was to close around six months before the new library opens, to allow for the transition into the new library. We are now proposing to close the library 18 months earlier to reduce next year’s rates increase. We recognise that the 2024/25 rates rise was hard for many ratepayers and the community has told us they want lower rates increases. We want to keep our proposed average rates increase below 8% for 2025/26. We’ve considered various ways to achieve this and closing Napier Library earlier than initially planned is one way to help the rates increase stay under 8%.
An extra benefit of the earlier interim closure is this will give us more time for moving to the new library. Libraries are important community gathering places and we want to focus on making the new library’s services and offerings the best they can be, so it will meet the community’s needs well into the future.
Under this option, Napier Library would close on 1 July 2025, instead of around six months before the new library’s opening, which is expected to be mid-2027. This is 18 months earlier than originally planned. Taradale Library would remain open seven days a week, with its current opening hours. Items housed at the Napier Library site could still be reserved online and collected from Taradale Library.
There would be a reduction in overall library staff numbers. Also, there are security arrangements that were introduced at Napier Library last year, which would no longer be needed. This is an additional saving on top of the ratepayer savings shown for this option.
We acknowledge that closing the library in the city will reduce the level of service for Napier Library customers, but the library would still be operating in Taradale. We will explore how service to Napier Library customers could continue in other ways, while still achieving the needed cost savings.
For example, we will look at trialling processes such as ‘click and collect’ (reserve and pick up) locations around the city or making the mobile library van available in more locations. We would investigate whether we can improve the services currently offered at Taradale Library in a way that doesn’t need extra funding.
We will support our customers with how to make the best use of our current online services. Popular activities that were held at Napier Library will remain available in Taradale. For example, school holiday programmes and storytime sessions.
This is not our preferred option as it’s an even further reduced level of service to the community, particularly to regular users of Taradale Library.
Under this option, Napier Library would close on 1 July 2025, instead of around six months before the new library’s opening, which is expected to be mid-2027. This is 18 months earlier than originally planned. Taradale Library would remain open six days a week, with its current opening hours, from Monday to Saturday. Items housed at the Napier Library site could still be reserved online and collected from Taradale Library.
There would be a reduction in overall library staff numbers. Also, there are security arrangements that were introduced at Napier Library last year, which would no longer be needed. This is an additional saving on top of the ratepayer savings shown for this option.
We acknowledge that closing the library in town reduces the level of service for Napier Library customers. We will explore how service to Napier Library customers could continue in other ways, while still achieving the needed cost savings.
For example, we will look at trialling processes such as ‘click and collect’ (reserve and pick up) locations around the city or making the mobile library van available in more locations. We would investigate whether we can improve the services currently offered at Taradale Library in a way that doesn’t need extra funding. We will support our customers on how to make the best use of our current online services.
Popular activities that were held at Napier Library will remain available in Taradale. For example, school holiday programmes and story-time.
Under this option, we would not achieve our desired maximum rates increase of 7.9% for 2025/26. If this option were chosen, it would result in an average rates increase of 8.52% unless other ways were found to achieve the savings in the preferred option.
If the library remains open, we will need continued budget to maintain the security arrangements at this site. This is an additional cost on top of the ratepayer costs shown for this option.
It will always be necessary for the library to close before the new library opens in mid-2027. Staff need time to transition to the new building and finalise the operational processes within the new library. If it doesn’t close on 1 July 2025, the likely closure date would be around six months before the new library opens in mid-2027.
Napier’s new library project is progressing on time and on budget. The detailed design is now complete, and the main construction contract will be awarded towards the middle of this year, with construction beginning soon after. Partial demolition of the old library on Station Street will be completed in April.
We’re looking forward to providing our community with a modern, fit-for-purpose library that will serve residents for many decades to come. Staff and services will be equipped to serve Napier’s residents in a way that meets their needs in the technological age. Modern libraries complement and fill gaps that online information sources can’t provide.
As Napier’s main library, it will support the educational, cultural, and creative life of our community. For example, there will be space for residents to attend digital education classes, technology skills workshops, building and creating workshops, or hold cultural activities. People will be able to further develop their passions, such as music, craft or creative pursuits.
Libraries are important community gathering places. Napier’s new library will include bookable community meeting rooms, learning and collaboration spaces, a dedicated children’s area, and a coffee kiosk for community connections.
We anticipate the new library will be open in mid-2027. More information about the background and progress of the project can be read here.
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OPTION 1: Close Napier Library, keep Taradale Library open seven days a week.