It has been a sport in the media the past few years to bag Christchurch City Council on occasion. For something different, here is a compliment instead of a complaint.
Today I have found myself with a few hours on my hands in Christchurch and needed a quiet place to work – I chose the Christchurch City Council Fendalton Library and Service Centre, as it was close to where I was.
It is interesting when you walk into Council facilities just to observe service levels being delivered and in action.
I can happily report that Fendalton Library has ticked all the boxes for me today – there is plenty of parking, well signposted.
The Library has a nice atmosphere – open and well lit and has well thought out workspaces where you can sit and use a computer.
Free wifi is provided (I am using it to write this blog post), and finally the staff couldn’t have been more helpful – showing me the workspace and providing instructions for the wifi use.
The library also has books, computer workstations, that seem to be popular, and a Council Service Centre.
This sort of service level delivery doesn’t happen by accident, so well done Christchurch City Council Libraries for understanding needs, having the right team, and the attention to detail that has made for a very good experience for me today.
In my work with community facilities asset management colleagues around New Zealand, I am noting the broader trend in Library AMPs and planning around libraries functioning more and more as a community meeting and study spaces.
It is an interesting trend and shows a good level of service adaption as community needs change.
PHOTO CREDIT: Images used were screenshots of Google Street View
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