Top Things to do in North Island
Top Hotels in North Island
Top 7 Libraries in North Island, New Zealand
Discover the best top things to do in North Island, New Zealand including Wellington City Library, Central City Library, National Library Auckland, National Library, Katikati Public Library, Barbara Buckett Laww, Te Puke Library.
Restaurants in North Island
1. Wellington City Library
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 291 reviews
2. Central City Library
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 38 reviews
Reviewed By KBofLB - Littleborough, United Kingdom
As one who travels without smartphone, laptop or tablet I was grateful for the facility for guest visitors to be able to use the library's computers to check emails and undertake any resultant surfing the web. This contrasted with the nearby Art Gallery's attitude to foreign visitors. It was also helpful that the library was open every day and well into the evening.
3. National Library Auckland
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 8 reviews
The National Library of New Zealand Auckland office provides educational support to New Zealand Schools. There is a small exhibition space downstairs that members of the public can access, however the rest of the library is not open to the public.
4. National Library
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 41 reviews
Reviewed By CarolDM1900 - Montpelier, United States
First half of review is on Passchendaele exhibition. Scroll down for GENERAL INFO. For the World War I centenary, you can see The Great War Exhibition at the Dominion Museum and "Gallipoli: The Scale of Our War" at the Te Papa Museum. Both are the splendid creations of NZ's own Peter Jackson. Both give a human face to war. But I have never seen any war exhibition with the emotional impact of the one on Passchendaele here at the National Library. Created to reflect the perspective of soldiers who took part, the exhibition is contained in a single room whose focal point is a 42-page handwritten letter by Leonard Hart to his family beginning 19 October 1917, as the bloody disaster was still unfolding. It seems an odd thing for an exhibition to depend on so much raw text, supported by a handful of photographs and by the personal stories of two other soldiers to represent the enormity of this battle, which took place between July and November 1917 near Ypres in Flanders, Belgium. But I stood there and read every word, as I suspect many visitors will do. Among the most powerful and wrenching parts are those on pages 33-37 recounting the soldier's discovery of a shell hole filled with British wounded and dead. Lacking food and water as well as medical attention, they were horrifically trapped during the bombardment. The man's dawning realization of their abandonment and the rising anger accompanying it comes through loud and clear, in this 3 paragraph excerpt that I hand-copied to take with me: "We asked one man who seemed a little better than the rest, what was the meaning of it and he said that if we cared to crawl about among the shell holes all about him we would find dozens more in similar plight. We were dumbfounded, but the awful truth remained, these chaps, wounded in the defense of their country, had been callously left to die the most awful of deaths in the half-frozen mud while tens of thousands of able-bodied men were camped within five miles of them behind the lines.... "They must have been lying where they fell for four days and nights. Those that were still alive had subsisted on the rations and water that they had carried with them or else had taken it from dead comrades beside them. I have seen some pretty rotten sights during the two and a half years of active service, but I must say that this fairly sickened me.... "I do say it was part of their officers duty to send back to the rear of the lines and have fresh men brought up to carry out the wounded that they themselves could not carry. Perhaps they did send back for help, but the fact remains that nothing was done until our chaps came up and whoever is responsible for the unnecessary sacrifice of those lives deserves to be shot more than any human ever did." GENERAL INFORMATION: There is much more to experience in this fine national institution. It is spacious, welcoming, and very well-designed with up-to-date digital technology that you can easily explore. For example, there are 3 "cockpit" type STATIONS OFFERING DIGITAL DISPLAYS, where individual visitors can sit before a touch-screen to access a very wide variety of holdings, including all types of music, film and video, some on special topics like science and technology, Maori language and culture and yes, World War I. I spent a good deal of time learning the stories of the 5 New Zealand soldiers executed for desertion. But I also enjoyed listening to popular Maori music. These stations would be a great place to learn about New Zealand at your own pace in comfort when it's rainy, blustery or cold outdoors, or just to enjoy a quiet, leisurely time on any day. There's an excellent cafe right nearby, with coffee and a variety of offerings for snacks or lunch. You will also find nearby a small digital display arranged with multiple screens and a plush bench in front of them. Here too you can click on what interests you, but in this case you'll be treated to half a dozen small screens flashing small bits at you. Presentations are short and sappy: kind of exciting, really. I enjoyed the interviews with Maori speakers. Listening and seeing, with translations right in front, offered a good perspective on New Zealand's cultural roots. Between the cockpits and the digital wall display is a NEW PERMANENT EXHIBITION, "HE TOHU," which roughly translates as "the signs." This highlights 3 of New Zealand's most iconic documents: the 1839 Declaration of Independence, the 1840 founding Treaty of Waitangi, and the 1893 Women's Suffrage Petition. These are ORIGINALS. All are considered "sacred" to Maori, because those who have signed them have added their "mana," a word expressing concepts like honor, power, prestige, and pride. I was impressed to see the actual documents, or fragments, as in the case of the famous and, for some, controversial Treaty of Waitangi. I understand why they are kept as much as possible out of light, but I must say that I found it cumbersome to have to push a button to illuminate the displays, and even then found it hard to read the interpretive signs accompanying them. I was also disappointed that in the section dealing with treaty seals, a hands-on display allowing visitors to make an exhibit "stamp" on a paper sheet as a souvenir of the visit was not functional, as the sealing wax was broken off. Pity, especially for any kids who might be along. There was also some graffiti there, which detracted from the exhibition and should be removed, and the missing wax should be replaced. It's a nice touch. While exploring upstairs on Level 1, I was impressed with interesting SMALL DISPLAYS and well-selected ART WORK that enlivened the reading areas. I especially liked the colorful selections themed to the recent Chinese New Year. Everything was very accessible, the chairs were comfortable and also quite attractive, giving a sleek, modern feel to the experience, and it was a pleasure to leaf through books and magazines in such quiet, pleasant surroundings. There was a poster for an upcoming lunchtime POETRY READING. One of the monthly "HISTORY TALKS" was also being advertised, featuring the work of Katherine Mansfield, a beloved short story writer whose historic home and garden are not far from the library. There were suggestions of other yet-to-be scheduled events, such as talks on resources for family genealogy, a workshop on the preservation of old letters, and something about oral history, all reflecting what seems a substantial community outreach program. IN SUMMARY: New Zealand's National Library is a good place to visit, surprisingly so, if your idea of a library is of something boring and maybe a bit stuffy. This is a thoroughly modern and welcoming establishment, with a lot to see and do that is interesting and "intellectual" but also enjoyable in a "popular" way. The jewel in the crown, though, is the Passchendaele exhibition. It has already been extended beyond the end of 2017, when it had been scheduled to close, so if you're interested, I'd suggest you visit sooner rather than later.
5. Katikati Public Library
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1 reviews
