User:DrThneed/Inangahua County Library

Inangahua County Library, originally the Reefton Public Library, is a community library located in Reefton in the West Coast region of the South Island of New Zealand.

Reefton's first public library began with the donation of a substantial book collection from Reefton gold mine manager David Ziman; several books stamped with his name and "Reefton Library 1896" still exist. It began as two rooms, a reading room and library, in the 1892 Inangahua County Council Chambers. Reefton Library was the nucleus of a Country Library Service, servicing small libraries in Inangahua, Maruia Junction, Cronadun, and Ikamatua.

After being closed for some years, the library opened in a new building beside in the Reefton town service centre on 22 November 1996. The name "Inangahua County Library" was chosen after a public vote to honour the former Inanguahua County Council (1876–1989). The new building cost $148,000, and the original design was criticised as "looking like a KFC outlet". The Reefton Revival Group, a community group promoting local heritage formed in February 1996, wanted a parapet and cladding added at a cost of $20,000 so the library was more in character with the heritage buildings of nearby Broadway. Ratepayers refused to foot the bill and the money had to be raised privately.

''The library was built in...? Does it descend from Reefton Athenaeum?''

''The library is run .... The collection includes ...''

Found some Papers Past info:

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/IT18980422.2.6.2

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/IT18980422.2.6.1

And more for "Reefton Library": the county library service seems seems not to have affected the name of the library until the 1996 building opened: https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers?title=IT&start_date=01-01-1877&end_date=31-12-1919&query=Reefton+Library&phrase=2 (Yes, have amended that to make it clearer —MD