Parklands Library is closed for five months for structural repairs and an upgrade.
The library closed at 4pm Saturday 11 October 2025, and Christchurch City Council expects the work to be completed in March 2026.
“We know Parklands Library holds an important space in Christchurch’s northeast community, and that losing it for five months will leave a big gap for many,” says Rosie Levi, Acting Head of Libraries and Information.
“However, we’re sure everyone will agree that the wait will be worth it so that we can deliver a permanent fix for its structural issues as soon as possible.”
The structural issue was discovered in February, when an assessment found that the building was below the 34% New Building Standard (NBS) meaning parts of the building were earthquake-prone.
“It was always our intention to close to complete some regular maintenance and upgrades, so we’re taking this opportunity to complete those too – when we reopen, visitors will be able to enjoy an all-around much improved environment,” Ms Levi says.
Ms Levi says the upgrades will include improved layout, drainage, fire protection and electrical/lighting systems, along with roof repairs and cladding replacement.
“In fact, it was while we were preparing for this work that staff noted that some of the exterior structural elements of the building showed signs of deterioration, which prompted us to get the engineering assessment that found the building to be below NBS,” Ms Levi says.
The discovery prompted the Council to complete some quick remediation work to make sure the building was safe to occupy while planning for a permanent fix got underway.
During the closure, reserved items can be collected from New Brighton Library, unless otherwise requested. Items cannot be returned to Parklands Library during this period, but can be returned to any other library across the city network.
For those wanting to find the nearest alternatives, they are New Brighton Library at 213 Marine Parade, Aranui Library at 109 Aldershot Street and Shirley Library at 36 Marshland Road.
Parklands Library closure FAQ
When will the work take place and how long will the facility be closed for?
Parklands Library is closed for structural work for about five months from Monday 13 October 2025 and is scheduled to reopen in early March 2026.
Parklands Library’s last day open will be Saturday 11 October.
Will library services be available anywhere temporarily?
Because Parklands Library will be closed for a relatively short time, we won’t set up temporary library facilities in the area. The Mobile Library van will visit the Parklands Community Centre car park fortnightly from 10am to 12noon on Fridays from 24 October.
The nearest alternative libraries are New Brighton Library at 213 Marine Parade, Aranui Library at 109 Aldershot Street, and Shirley Library at 36 Marshland Road.
Will the JP service be available anywhere?
The JP (Justice of the Peace) service at Parklands will move to New Brighton Library while Parklands is closed. It will take place on the same day and time - Fridays 12noon to 2pm. The last session at Parklands is on Friday 10 October and the first session at New Brighton will take place on Friday 17 October.
Will there be any sessions for preschoolers?
While the library is closed, from 23 October our pre-school events will take place at the temporary Open Book Café. It is located at the Parklands United Sports Club, 75 Queenspark Drive:
- Wā Kōrero-Storytimes Thursdays 10.30am to 11am
- Wā Pēpi-Babytimes Fridays 10.30am to 11am
Will the café stay open?
Open Book Café will be open at Parklands Library until Friday 17 October. On Tuesday 21 October, Open Book Café will open at a new location - 75 Queenspark Drive in the Parklands United Sports Club building opposite the shops and next to the park.
Find out more on the Open Book Café Facebook page.
What does the work involve?
The work will involve structural strengthening to address the issues identified earlier in 2025.
While we’re doing this, we’ll also take the opportunity to carry out routine maintenance work which we were due to undertake soon anyway, including:
- Repairing the roof.
- Installing new bollards and line markings in the carpark.
- Replacing the exterior cladding.
- Upgrading the electrical and lighting systems.
- Replacing the automatic doors.
- Minor flooring work.
- Adjusting the layout.
- Updating the drainage and fire protection.
Can I still return my books to Parklands Library?
Items cannot be returned to Parklands Library while it’s closed, but all Christchurch City Libraries items may be returned to any of our libraries around the city and Banks Peninsula.
Where can I pick up my holds?
From Monday 13 October, any hold items you’ve requested to be collected from Parklands Library will be made available at New Brighton Library instead, unless you request another location. Please contact the library to arrange this.
Can I still use the free wi-fi?
Yes – the wi-fi will remain switched on during the work. Free wi-fi is also available at other Christchurch City Libraries.
What will happen to the books and staff while we are closed?
All items will be unavailable to the library network. Library staff will be temporarily reassigned to other Christchurch City Libraries.
I am an Agreed Support library customer – where can I pick up my library items?
All Agreed Support customers will be notified and individual arrangements put in place.
How was it discovered that Parklands Library needs structural work?
After staff noted that some of the exterior structural elements of the building showed signs of deterioration, the Council enlisted an engineer to do an assessment. During this process, they assessed the building and found some elements of its structure to be below 34% of the New Building Standard (NBS).
Although other parts of the building were above the NBS threshold, not every element of a building needs to be below 34% for the whole building to be considered earthquake-prone.
A building is considered ‘earthquake-prone’ if it fails to meet at least 34% of the current NBS and that if it were to fail in the event of a moderate earthquake, anyone inside would be at a higher risk than they would in a building that meets the standard.