Tokoroa's new $2 million hub reflects changing face of public libraries

Tokoroa is the latest town to ditch the traditional standalone library model, unveiling its new $2 million community hub.

The South Waikato town's Huihuinga Rau Community Hub & Library is now open to the public.

The renovated building, officially opened on Monday, combines South Waikato District Council customer services, community meeting spaces and the public library.

Council community experience manager Ebony Curtin told Local Democracy Reporting standalone libraries were on the decline.

"No one builds libraries anymore, they build community hubs."

Curtin also explained why the $2 million revamp had to take place.

Leaking with opportunity

The building was leaking and something had to be done.

"We were running air purifiers in here," Curtin said.

"The team have sucked it up for a long time, [they have] been really gracious about it."

With the need to fix a leaky building arose new opportunities.

"We were determined to give more space back to the community and future-proof it in terms of the services," Curtin said.

The addition of two meeting rooms, a sensory room and customer services meant Huihuinga Rau could now host community group and club functions.

"Libraries are really important shared spaces for people," she said.

"And they reckon loneliness is the new epidemic right?"

Incorporating customer services into a library meant residents could pay their rates and stay a while.

The meeting rooms are available free for the rest of the financial year, though that could change when the council reviews its fees and charges in 2027.

Curtin anticipated the rooms would be used by the likes of Justices of the Peace, correspondence school students and the IRD.

"We're always looking for ways to connect the community with those central government or bigger services."

Huihuinga Rau Community Hub & Library on Mannering St is open six days a week. You can check out the various events scheduled at the hub for its opening week here.

The temporary library on Leith Place is now closed. The council building on Torphin Cres is no longer open for payments.