Membership is free for residents and ratepayers of the Christchurch City Council area. In addition, other privileges are available to the following customer groups residing within the CCC boundaries.
Online
Membership is available online and enables you to access eBooks, eAudio, eMagazines and eResources immediately.
This membership is valid for three months. To extend your membership beyond this period and/or borrow physical items you must provide proof of address and ID and convert to a full membership at any Christchurch city library.
If you reside or pay rates outside the Christchurch City Council area there is the option to join as a subscription member. If you reside outside the Christchurch City Council area but pay rates on a property within the Christchurch City Council area, you may be eligible for free membership.
Youth
If you are under 19, it is free to join Christchurch City Libraries if you live in Christchurch city; or in Selwyn, Waimakariri or Hurunui districts. You can join online or at a library.
Youth Membership is available to anyone aged under 19. A guarantor (parent or legal guardian) is required for those up to and including 17 years of age. 18-year-olds do not need a guarantor.
Youth membership enables customers to:
- Place holds on items free of charge,
- Return items late without being charged,
- Borrow most items free of charge. There are charges for borrowing bestsellers, CDs, and DVDs from the adult collection.
Youth living in adjacent district council areas (Hurunui, Selwyn and Waimakariri) may be subsidised to receive the same borrowing privileges for print and audio-visual items as CCC youth members, subject to funding. Gammack Trust funding has been available to subsidise borrowing for youth residing in these areas in some financial years, but this is reviewed regularly.
Concession
You may be entitled to a concession membership.
Please visit your local library or contact us to find out more.
Concession membership is available to customers who
- have a condition that restricts their use of the library. A medical certificate, letter from a specialist or other verification of the condition may be required in order to obtain this membership category.
- live permanently in Banks Peninsula and use Akaroa and Little River Libraries to pick up holds. Proof of address may be required.
As a concession member you will be able to:
- Borrow books, magazines, talking books, DVDs and CDs from the general collection free of charge,
- Borrow most items for up to six weeks,
- Place holds on items free of charge,
- You will pay to borrow items from the Bestseller collections and for interloans.
Reciprocal
Reciprocal membership is available to visitors from other areas of New Zealand and who will be in Christchurch for up to three months.
Visitors who can present their membership card from their New Zealand home public library can borrow items and access services as per Christchurch City Council residents and ratepayers. Please note that reciprocal membership is not available to visitors whose home public library is in Hurunui, Selwyn, Waimakaririri or Ashburton districts.
Visitors who are not able to provide a New Zealand home public library card and all international visitors are enrolled as subscription members and incur the appropriate charges.
Corporate
Corporate membership is available to companies, businesses and organisations who have a business within the Christchurch City Council boundaries. The membership entitles corporate customers to borrow items for the purpose of the business but excludes the borrowing of items for any other purpose. Applicants must complete the Application for Corporate Membership, provide proof of business identity and have signed authorisation from the manager, finance manager or sole trader.
Subscription membership
Most library members are Christchurch City Council ratepayers or residents. Non-residents who comply with the conditions of membership are eligible to join the library as subscription members.
The charges apply to both adult and youth non-city members. However, some trusts (e.g. Gammack Trust) provide for free membership for youth in adjacent districts (Hurunui, Selwyn, Waimakariri).
This subscription enables non-city members to access the services of the library on the same basis as ratepayers and residents, e.g. the same bestseller, holds and audio-visual item charges will apply. Subscription members can access all electronic resources except where specifically excluded by the terms of Christchurch City Libraries’ contractual agreements with those suppliers.
Insite
Membership entitles Christchurch City Council staff (excluding library staff) and elected members to borrow items to enable them to meet the business needs of their role with CCC.
Application for Insite Membership [PDF].
Group Facilities
Group facilities - Residential care facility or prison, registered preschool facility, or special needs unit.
Preschools, rest homes and special needs units must provide a letter of authority on official letterhead from the owner/manager or head teacher accepting financial responsibility for items borrowed, lost or damaged. We do not require this letter to be updated when the owner/manager or head teacher changes, although information recorded in the membership record should be updated.
