New Zealand Parliamentary Library facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Parliamentary Library |
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Te Whare Pukapuka o te Paremata (Māori)
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The Parliamentary Library building in 2006
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| Former names | General Assembly Library |
| General information | |
| Type | Library |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| Town or city | Wellington |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Coordinates | 41°16′38″S 174°46′36″E / 41.27723°S 174.77666°E |
| Construction started | 1897 |
| Completed | 1899 |
| Technical details | |
| Structural system | Brick |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Thomas Turnbull John Campbell |
| Designated: | 20 July 1989 |
| Reference #: | 217 |
| References | |
| NZHP website | |
The New Zealand Parliamentary Library (Māori: Te Whare Pukapuka o te Paremata; formerly the General Assembly Library) is the library and information resource of the New Zealand Parliament. The current library building in Wellington was completed in 1899 and is the oldest of the extant buildings in the Parliament complex. It stands to the north of Parliament House (to its right, looking from the front).
History and building design
The library was originally designed as a three-storey building by Thomas Turnbull in Gothic Revival style. It was fire resistant, being constructed of brick made at Mount Cook gaol with an iron firedoor separating the library from the main entrance section. The third storey of the design was not built to save money (costs had reached £50,000) and it was completed by the government architect John Campbell. He redesigned the parapets, gables and roof to take account of the building's reduced height. Turnbull dissociated himself from the entire project and asked for his name to be removed from the foundation stone.
The fireproofing saved the library from the fire of 1907, which destroyed the rest of the wooden parliament buildings. (Coincidentally, the same thing happened in Ottawa, Canada, in 1916—with fire doors saving the Library of Parliament when the Centre Block of the Canadian Parliament burned.)
1990s refurbishment
Like Parliament House, the building was strengthened and refurbished between 1993 and 1995. The building design was replicated to match the original designs. The ornate main foyer, which was damaged by another fire in 1992, was refurbished. The Gothic elements of the roof, including ironwork, turrets, and finials, were recreated. The original iron door (that saved the library in 1907) was restored.
The building is registered with the New Zealand Historic Places Trust as a Category I heritage structure with registration number 217.
Services
The Parliamentary Library is an information repository and research service for members of Parliament and parliamentary staff. Access to the building is generally restricted to those on parliamentary business, yet research publications produced are available to the public.
By the 1920s the library's collection had reached more than 100,000 volumes; by 1950 this has grown to 200,000 volumes. In 1966 the Parliamentary Library became part of the new National Library of New Zealand; much of the library's collection (close to half a million volumes) was moved to other National Library locations, while relevant texts remain in the Gothic building. In 1985 the Parliamentary Library left the National Library to become part of the newly-formed Parliamentary Service.
Gallery
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Steps leading to entrance
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Detail of the roof
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Foundation stone
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