At 5pm on Thursday, 3 December 2009, the National Library is closing its doors to make way for the building redevelopment.

From Tuesday 8 December, access to the General Collections will be available through a reading room at 77 Thorndon Quay, Wellington.

Collection access at 77 Thorndon Quay, Wellington from 8 December 2009

All materials in the National Library’s General Collections will remain available. These collections include:

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  • The National Library General Reference Collection. This collection contains a wide range of publications, indexes and directories across all subject fields, including New Zealand, Māori and Pacific, New Zealand government, family history and family search, international and music.
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  • The National Library General Lending and General Serials collections. These collections consist of a wide range of New Zealand, Pacific and international publications, music scores, serials and magazines across all subject fields, including New Zealand publications received under Legal Deposit.
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  • The National Children’s Collection. This collection contains children’s books published since 1940, including copies of New Zealand children’s books published in English, Māori and Pacific Island languages, and a selection of children’s books from overseas.
Items from the Dorothy Neal White Collection, of pre-1940 children’s books, will be available on request at Thorndon Quay from 8 December 2009 to 25 February 2010. After this, the collection will be available onsite at Archives New Zealand.


Alexander Turnbull Library materials

Access to some Alexander Turnbull Library copied materials will also be available at 77 Thorndon Quay, including:
    • Turnbull Library Pictures
    • Newspaper microfilms
    • Index and reference tools
    • Special Printed Collections microfilm
    • Electronic resources

Services available at 77 Thorndon Quay, Wellington from 8 December 2009

At 77 Thorndon Quay there will be a reading room, copying services and librarians available to help with customer and research enquiries. National Preservation Office services will also continue from this location.

The National Library’s Interloan and document supply services, and the hire of choral and orchestral scores, will continue as usual.

Access to Alexander Turnbull Library collections through the redevelopment period

Why the building redevelopment is necessary

Questions and answers