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Kaipara Flats residents will have a chance to discover one of the village’s hidden gems when the historic Kaipara Flats Library holds a café and open day on Sunday, November 8.
The day will include children’s story time, an opportunity to explore the library’s collection and learn about the district’s early pioneers and settlers, as well as the chance to visit other historic buildings nearby.
Refreshments will be served in the neighbouring church, itself a building of historical interest.
The Kaipara Flats Library was established in 1878, after local settlers held a public meeting and started fundraising to establish a library in the schoolroom, then situated at the upper end of Thomson Road.
The first collection was dominated by scientific and factual books, with a sprinkling of novels by authors including Charles Dickens and Frederick Marryat.
The library moved into its present kauri building in 1925, on land donated by neighbouring property owner N. Thomson.
Generations of volunteers have since kept the library operating and today it contains not only a wide selection of children’s books and regularly updated fiction and non-fiction, but also a valuable collection of local history and stories about the district’s pioneering families.
The library operates on an honesty system, with members paying an annual $20 subscription and receiving a security code to access the building.
Outside stands a beautifully crafted miniature version of the building, stocked with books that anyone is welcome to take.
The library receives no regular funding apart from membership fees, making community support important to its future.
Its long history was celebrated in 2018 with a Pioneer Day marking the 140th anniversary. A photographic record of the event is held in the library, alongside historic images of Kaipara Flats dating back to before the railway station opened in 1905.
Membership is available online at: https://kaiparaflatslibrary.hello club.om/register
