Jeffrey has visited Tūranga 127 times …

Your new central library Tūranga has been open for more than 6 months. Here are some statistics from 17 April 2019:

  • 548,922 people have visited.
  • More than 238,000 items have been issued.
  • There have been 13.9 million individual touches on the Discovery Wall, and 10,000 postcards sent from it.

Of those visitors, one of the busiest is Jeffrey Huffadine. Jeffrey visited on opening day 12 October 2018.

Regular customers happy to be in Tūranga
Regular customers happy to be in Tūranga. Tūranga opening day. Friday 12 October 2018. Flickr TU-2018-10-12-IMG_1311

When I spoke to him again on the 8th of March, he had already visited 127 times!

My Library - Jeffrey Huffadine

Jeffrey kindly answered a few questions:

What words spring to mind when you hear ‘Library’?

I don’t think that it is words that spring to mind but rather happy childhood memories of my love of reading. I remember visiting both the old Canterbury Public Library on the corner of Cambridge Terrace and Hereford Street, and also the Central Library on the corner of Gloucester Street and Oxford Terrace.

Who instilled a love of reading in you?

I seemed to be born with a love of reading, but I’d say I have my parents and grandparents to thank for that.

What do you see at Christchurch City Libraries’ greatest contribution to the community?

The library today is an incredible resource for finding out information. They say knowledge is power, so libraries are empowering.

What would you like to see in tomorrow’s libraries?

I want to see our libraries encourage the love of reading that I am sure has been a big part of the successes I have in life.

What are you most looking forward to seeing happen in our city?

Although I have not seen most of the residential red zone, I am keen to see its future regeneration plans that emerge from the engagement with our communities.

What are your recommended reads?

CoverWhen I visited the old Central Library on the corner of Gloucester Street and Oxford Terrace, I used to browse through the Janes Fighting Ships and I have done the same at Central Library Manchester and Central Library Peterborough. I also like local NZ books such as Product Tankers, Reefer ships, and Bulk Carriers - all  by Nick Tolerton, plus other reads by local authors such as Gateway to the Ice by Tony Phillips.