Story: Local and regional government

Council facilities: Wellington City Library, 1938 (4th of 4)

Council facilities: Wellington City Library, 1938

The mayor of Wellington, Thomas Hislop, uses a mason's trowel to complete the laying of the foundation stone and plaque for the city's new public library in 1938. The first Wellington librarian was appointed in 1840, and the first public library on this site opened in 1893. The purpose-built library launched by Hislop in 1938 was replaced in 1991 by an adjacent new building which was closed indefinitely as an earthquake risk in 2019.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, Evening Post Collection (PAColl-0614)
Reference: 1/4-048835-G

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Mark Derby, 'Local and regional government - Managing urbanisation', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/35389/council-facilities-wellington-city-library-1938 (accessed 19 April 2024)

Story by Mark Derby, published 20 Jun 2012, updated 1 Feb 2015