'Free to the People': The Design and Function of Aotearoa New Zealand's Carnegie Libraries

Libraries have formed an inherent part of Aotearoa New Zealand’s communities since the beginning of organised European settlement. Through the case study of New Zealand’s participation in the international Carnegie library programme, this thesis considers the intersection of library architecture and librarianship. It is asserted that libraries have made a significant contribution to New Zealand’s regional civic culture but, despite their social importance, have sat outside most architectural historical surveys. The study explores how a critical analysis of the design and function of purpose-built Carnegie library buildings provides a deeper understanding of these central social institutions.

Despite the prevalence and value of libraries, very little has been published on the history of library architecture in New Zealand. Only a small amount of research in this country’s library and information studies field addresses library architecture, and architectural writing on libraries is similarly scarce. This research addresses the gap in the literature by employing an interdisciplinary and multi-method approach based on historical and archival research, and site visits. Two key areas of investigation are examined through the case study. Firstly, the form of New Zealand’s Carnegie libraries is analysed in order to determine the principal elements of the buildings and to trace the influences on their design. Secondly, the function of the buildings is investigated, with a focus on the developing library profession and the service provided to the only two groups allocated dedicated space: women and children.

This thesis argues that New Zealand’s participation in the Carnegie library programme occurred at a significant time in the development of library architecture and librarianship, and the libraries reflect the profound shifts that were taking place. The findings demonstrate that these library buildings serve as physical evidence of a local interpretation of the major trends in early twentieth-century librarianship and the wider social context of that developing professional practice. Moreover, it shows that a more fulsome understanding of library architecture furthers the appreciation of the part libraries have played in New Zealand social and cultural history, and adds to the field of heritage and museum studies by broadening the understanding and recognition of related cultural institutions. Due to the international nature of the Carnegie library programme and continued importance of libraries, the results of this study are not solely of benefit on local and national levels; they have transnational value.