National Library of New Zealand
Encyclopedia
The National Library of New Zealand (Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa in Maori
) is New Zealand
's legal deposit
library charged with the obligation to "enrich the cultural and economic life of New Zealand and its interchanges with other nations" (National Library of New Zealand (Te Puna Mātauranga) Act 2003). Under the Act, the library is also expected to be:
It is said to be unique, as unlike many other national libraries it is an autonomous government department. The library also has links to primary and secondary schools through its School Services
business unit, which has 15 service centres and three Curriculum Information Service branches around New Zealand. The Legal Deposit Office is also New Zealand's agency for ISBN and ISSN.
The library headquarters is close to the New Zealand Parliament and the Court of Appeal on the corner of Aitken and Molesworth Streets, Wellington. The current Minister Responsible for the National Library is Nathan Guy
.
On 25 March 2010 the Minister of State Services announced that Archives New Zealand
and the National Library of New Zealand would be merged into the Department of Internal Affairs.
. In 1985, the General Assembly Library separated from the National Library and is now known as The Parliamentary Library
. Staff and collections from 14 different sites around Wellington
were centralised in a new National Library building, officially opened in August 1987. The architecture of the building is said to have been heavily influenced by design of the Boston City Hall
.
In 1988, the National Library became an autonomous government department where previously it had been administered by the Department of Education. The same year, the Library took on the Maori name Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, which translated means: the wellspring of knowledge, of New Zealand.
In early 1998 an ambitious 8.5 million dollar computer project was scrapped.
On 25 March 2010 the Minister of State Services announced that Archives New Zealand
and the National Library of New Zealand would be merged into the Department of Internal Affairs.
The National Library divides its collections into three main groups: the National Library General Collections, the National Library Schools Collection, and the collections of the Alexander Turnbull Library. The National Library General Collections focus on supporting the information needs of New Zealanders through services to individuals, schools and researchers, with notable collections such as the Dorothy Neal White Collection. The National Library Schools Collection contains fiction and non-fiction books, videos and DVDs to support teaching and learning in New Zealand schools. Access to many collections is provided through digital products and online resources.
(1868–1918), whose bequest
to the nation included the 55,000 volume nucleus of the current collection. It is charged under the Act to:
Turnbull collected the works of John Milton
extensively, and the library now has holdings of Milton's works which are "ranked among the finest in the world" and "good collections of seventeenth-century poetical miscellanies and of Dryden
material, ... along with fine sets of literary periodicals."
The Alexander Turnbull Library's former site at Turnbull House in Bowen Street in downtown Wellington is now run by the Department of Conservation.
and Sun Microsystems
to develop a digital archive and preservation management system.
A digital storehouse, the system ensures that websites, digital images, CDs, DVDs and other 'digitally born' and digitised items that make up the Library's growing digital heritage collections will, despite technical obsolescence, be preserved and remain accessible to researchers, students and library users now and in the future.
Maori language
Māori or te reo Māori , commonly te reo , is the language of the indigenous population of New Zealand, the Māori. It has the status of an official language in New Zealand...
) is New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
's legal deposit
Legal deposit
Legal deposit is a legal requirement that a person or group submit copies of their publications to a repository, usually a library. The requirement is mostly limited to books and periodicals. The number of copies varies and can range from one to 19 . Typically, the national library is one of the...
library charged with the obligation to "enrich the cultural and economic life of New Zealand and its interchanges with other nations" (National Library of New Zealand (Te Puna Mātauranga) Act 2003). Under the Act, the library is also expected to be:
- "collecting, preserving, and protecting documents, particularly those relating to New Zealand, and making them accessible for all the people of New Zealand, in a manner consistent with their status as documentary heritage and taonga; and
- "supplementing and furthering the work of other libraries in New Zealand; and
- "working collaboratively with other institutions having similar purposes, including those forming part of the international library community."
It is said to be unique, as unlike many other national libraries it is an autonomous government department. The library also has links to primary and secondary schools through its School Services
School services
Services to Schools is a business unit of the National Library of New Zealand . They provide curriculum and advisory services to support New Zealand schools.- Curriculum Services :...
business unit, which has 15 service centres and three Curriculum Information Service branches around New Zealand. The Legal Deposit Office is also New Zealand's agency for ISBN and ISSN.
The library headquarters is close to the New Zealand Parliament and the Court of Appeal on the corner of Aitken and Molesworth Streets, Wellington. The current Minister Responsible for the National Library is Nathan Guy
Nathan Guy
Nathan Guy is a New Zealand politician, and currently serves as a member of Parliament representing the National Party.-Background:...
.
On 25 March 2010 the Minister of State Services announced that Archives New Zealand
Archives New Zealand
Archives New Zealand is the National Archives of New Zealand, with overall responsibility for government recordkeeping and for community archives. Since 1 February 2011 it has been part of the Department of Internal Affairs...
and the National Library of New Zealand would be merged into the Department of Internal Affairs.
History
The National Library of New Zealand was formed in 1965 when the Alexander Turnbull Library, the General Assembly, and the National Library Service were brought together by the National Library Act (1965). In 1980, the Archive of New Zealand Music was established at the suggestion of New Zealand composer, Douglas LilburnDouglas Lilburn
Douglas Gordon Lilburn ONZ FRCM was a New Zealand composer.-Early life:Lilburn was born in Wanganui. He attended Waitaki Boys' High School from 1930 to 1933, before moving to Christchurch to study journalism and music at Canterbury University College...
. In 1985, the General Assembly Library separated from the National Library and is now known as The Parliamentary Library
New Zealand Parliament Buildings
The New Zealand Parliament Buildings house the New Zealand Parliament and are on a 45,000 square metre site at the northern end of Lambton Quay, Wellington...
. Staff and collections from 14 different sites around Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
were centralised in a new National Library building, officially opened in August 1987. The architecture of the building is said to have been heavily influenced by design of the Boston City Hall
Boston City Hall
Boston City Hall is the seat of the municipal government of Boston, Massachusetts. Architecturally, it is an example of the brutalist style. It was designed by Kallmann McKinnell & Knowles...
.
In 1988, the National Library became an autonomous government department where previously it had been administered by the Department of Education. The same year, the Library took on the Maori name Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, which translated means: the wellspring of knowledge, of New Zealand.
In early 1998 an ambitious 8.5 million dollar computer project was scrapped.
On 25 March 2010 the Minister of State Services announced that Archives New Zealand
Archives New Zealand
Archives New Zealand is the National Archives of New Zealand, with overall responsibility for government recordkeeping and for community archives. Since 1 February 2011 it has been part of the Department of Internal Affairs...
and the National Library of New Zealand would be merged into the Department of Internal Affairs.
Collections
The National Library's collections are stored in many parts of the National Library building in Wellington, and in several other locations throughout New Zealand.The National Library divides its collections into three main groups: the National Library General Collections, the National Library Schools Collection, and the collections of the Alexander Turnbull Library. The National Library General Collections focus on supporting the information needs of New Zealanders through services to individuals, schools and researchers, with notable collections such as the Dorothy Neal White Collection. The National Library Schools Collection contains fiction and non-fiction books, videos and DVDs to support teaching and learning in New Zealand schools. Access to many collections is provided through digital products and online resources.
Alexander Turnbull Library
The collections of the Alexander Turnbull Library are in the custody of the National Library and are normally held in its Wellington building. It is named after Alexander Horsburgh TurnbullAlexander Horsburgh Turnbull
Alexander Horsburgh Turnbull was a New Zealand merchant, dandy and book collector. On his death, his collection formed the nucleus of the Alexander Turnbull Collection, initially housed in his house on Bowen Street opposite Parliament Buildings but now housed with the collections of the National...
(1868–1918), whose bequest
Bequest
A bequest is the act of giving property by will. Strictly, "bequest" is used of personal property, and "devise" of real property. In legal terminology, "bequeath" is a verb form meaning "to make a bequest."...
to the nation included the 55,000 volume nucleus of the current collection. It is charged under the Act to:
- 'Preserve, protect, develop, and make accessible for all the people of New Zealand the collections of that library in perpetuity and in a manner consistent with their status as documentary heritage and taongaTaongaA taonga in Māori culture is a treasured thing, whether tangible or intangible. Tangible examples are all sorts of heirlooms and artefacts, land, fisheries, natural resources such as geothermal springs and access to natural resources, such as riparian water rights and access to the riparian zone of...
'; and - 'Develop the research collections and the services of the Alexander Turnbull Library, particularly in the fields of New Zealand and Pacific studies and rare books'; and
- 'Develop and maintain a comprehensive collection of documents relating to New Zealand and the people of New Zealand.'
Turnbull collected the works of John Milton
John Milton
John Milton was an English poet, polemicist, a scholarly man of letters, and a civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under Oliver Cromwell...
extensively, and the library now has holdings of Milton's works which are "ranked among the finest in the world" and "good collections of seventeenth-century poetical miscellanies and of Dryden
John Dryden
John Dryden was an influential English poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright who dominated the literary life of Restoration England to such a point that the period came to be known in literary circles as the Age of Dryden.Walter Scott called him "Glorious John." He was made Poet...
material, ... along with fine sets of literary periodicals."
The Alexander Turnbull Library's former site at Turnbull House in Bowen Street in downtown Wellington is now run by the Department of Conservation.
National Digital Heritage Archive
Established in 2004 the NDHA is a partnership between the National Library of New Zealand, Ex LibrisEx Libris
Ex Libris is a Latin phrase, meaning literally, "from the books". It is often used to indicate ownership of a book, as in "from the books of..." or from the library of...Ex Libris may also refer to:...
and Sun Microsystems
Sun Microsystems
Sun Microsystems, Inc. was a company that sold :computers, computer components, :computer software, and :information technology services. Sun was founded on February 24, 1982...
to develop a digital archive and preservation management system.
A digital storehouse, the system ensures that websites, digital images, CDs, DVDs and other 'digitally born' and digitised items that make up the Library's growing digital heritage collections will, despite technical obsolescence, be preserved and remain accessible to researchers, students and library users now and in the future.