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Hamilton City Libraries (New Zealand)
Hamilton City Libraries are a group of seven libraries in Hamilton, New Zealand, owned by the local city council.[3] They lend fiction and non-fiction (for all ages), magazines, audiobooks, and DVDs. From November 2016 to 9 July 2018, a substitute library compensated for the temporarily closed Central branch,[4] and the libraries closed for over 2 months for COVID-19 in 2020.[5] Waikato District residents living close to Hamilton City can freely use the Hamilton libraries.[6] Public library historyIn 1871 Hamilton Institute appointed a librarian,[7] with support from Auckland Provincial Council. By 1874 its reading room had 209 books and 72 subscribers,[5] but, although its books were largely saved from a fire,[8] the secretary then decamped with the funds.[9] A poll under the Public Libraries Act 1869 rejected a rate to set up a library by 17:7 in 1883;[10] without a council decision, the Act required at least 10 ratepayers to request a poll.[11] Next year a new library was established by subscriptions in the Union Bridge toll house,[12] tolls having ended in January 1883,[13] and it was officially opened on 10 October 1884. A new building at the south end of Victoria Street opened on 22 April 1899. Andrew Carnegie library, designed by Rigby and Warren,[5] opposite Garden Place,[14] was opened by Sir Joseph Ward on 17 February 1908.[15] By 1928 it had 892 subscribers and 10,000 books[16] and, by 1948, 2,344 subscribers and 130,674 books.[17] In June 1960 a new council building opened on Worley St and the library moved from the Carnegie site, which was sold.[5] The Carnegie Library briefly became a Lions opp shop,[18] before being demolished about 1961.[19] In 1968 it moved to William Paul Hall, formerly the Waikato Winter Show building and has been in Garden Place since 20 March 1993.[5] Frankton Library officially opened on 22 September 1923[20] and in 1950 became a branch of Hamilton Public Library.[5] As of 1980[update], Hamilton had one of the country's largest public libraries.[21] Branches There are seven current branches:
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37°47′16″S 175°16′57″E / 37.7879°S 175.2824°E
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