Napier Friends

Become a Friend of Napier Library

It only costs $10 a year to be a Friend of Napier Library.
As a Friend, you will receive regular email news, and be able to join in with fun and worthwhile fundraising projects. You can be as involved as much - or as little - as you like. There are other benefits of being a Friend of Napier Library, including 10% discount on book purchases at Beattie & Forbes book shop. Other membership packages are available.

Look for "Eko the Pukeko" – our curious, friendly mascot – on our display board on the ground floor of the library, where you can pick up our brochure and application form.

Friends of Napier Library Meetings

All library users are welcome to attend our meetings from 5.15 – 6.00 pm on the 3rd Wednesday of each month. We meet in the Napier Library Seminar room (enter from alley between library and Council). Meetings are held every month except for December and January.

Feel free to call us and talk to us about Friends activities:
Johanna Rodgers (Chairman)
Email: johanna@hilltop.co.nz
or
Susan Wylie (Secretary)
Email: montesson@clear.net.nz

How We Help Napier Library

The Friends of Napier Library undertake a range of activities for the benefit of the library. Oral Archiving is an ongoing project, managed by a few Friends of Napier Library members. We aim to collect an archive of interviews with Napier professionals, and capture their memories and knowledge of times past.

Friends of Napier Library also raises funds to help the library with extra equipment or services. We have supplied the library with:

• Audio equipment to carry on with the Napier Library’s oral archive of interviews with Napier city professionals – doctors, lawyers and engineers. We plan to supply more equipment so that you can access and listen to these interviews.
• Microfilm Reader. A Canon Microfilm reader with A4 screen, A3/A4 printer, a standard 9.5-16x lens and an extra lens (Total value: $19,708). A computer has been added so people can save and email their research.
• The completion of the microfilming of Napier's former 'Daily Telegraph' newspaper filling the gaps up to 1972 – an important archive that would have been lost.
• Formally submitting proposals to Napier City Council as part of their Annual Plan. We are pleased to maintain a successful, positive relationship with Napier City Council which is highly supportive of the library.

Friends of Napier Library Events

We host various events throughout the year. Below is a round-up of some of our recent events:

• We assisted library staff with their NZ Book Month event on 25 March. Based on the book "Christchurch 22.2 Beyond the Cordon",
  members of the public heard a first-hand account from Christchurch police forensic photographer Constable Phil Little of the work undertaken during that devastating post-earthquake period.
• We hosted Allyson Gofton on her nationwide tour to launch the "Country Calendar Cookbook". This fun sellout event at The Kitchen
  Table/Photographers Gallery was in association with Beattie & Forbes Books.
• The Grab a Gem Book Sale was organised by long-time Friends of Napier Library member Erica Pearson. Lots of happy book buyers took the opportunity to fill a bag of good reading material. The funds raised are for new equipment for the library. The library now runs its own monthly book sales to make room for lovely new material!
• 50 people enjoyed the Old Time Picture Show, showing old newsreels, cartoons and a rescued film reel of old Napier from David Turnbull's archive.
• We hosted Max Cryer for the launch of his new book "Who Said That First?" with Beattie & Forbes Bookshop.
• We hosted Alexa Johnston author of "Ladies a Plate" cookbook. Afterwards, everyone tucked into a sumptuous afternoon tea put on by Friends of Napier Library and librarians!
• We held a successful book sale of deleted library stock.
• Friends of Napier Library hosted a launch in Napier of a new book on Art Deco published by historian and journalist Graham Stewart.