Nat. Library go-ahead

Press, 29 April 1981, Page 7

Nat. Library go-ahead

Parliamentary reporter The Government has given the go-ahead for the new National Library building.

The Minister of Education (Mr Wellington) said yesterday that tenders would be called for phase one of the second stage of the'building, estimated to cost $l3 million.

This work represents the whole of the outside of the six-storey building, planned for Molesworth Street in Wellington, and planning for the interior will start immediately.

Long delays have plagued the project since problems with the Boilermakers’ union resulted in the designs for a steel building being scrapped. Mr Wellington said the new building would provide superior accommodation for

the many historical documents arid rare books entrusted to the care of the library. "The new library building will also provide a centre for research questions in the commercial and technical fields. Already it is being called upon increasingly to service commercial activities." he said. The Library Association said yesterday that librarians would rejoice at the Government's decision, but noted that construction could not start until a tender was accepted. Construction of the new National Library would take several years and meanwhile the future of its main building at 44 The Terrace was uncertain. If work on the new

National Library did not begin this year, staff might have to move to temporary premises with the thousands of books, journals, papers and other records nowhoused at The Terrace.