Location confirmed for pop-up South Library

Christchurch City Libraries is partnering with The Colombo shopping centre to create a new pop-up library in early 2025.

The pop-up will serve as a temporary replacement for the soon-to-be-rebuilt South Library building.

The earthquake-damaged South Library and Service Centre building is set to be demolished in autumn 2025 to make way for the new Ōmōkihi South Library and Customer Service Hub.

“Of all our community libraries, South attracts the most visitors – it's a familiar home away from home for many people in that area of Christchurch,” says Carolyn Robertson, Libraries and Information Manager.

“Losing that sort of service can be tough for a community. Setting up shop nearby is the best way to keep the services running, and The Colombo is just down the road. We have access to The Colombo site from early December and will start preparations then, for an early 2025 opening.”

The pop-up library will be located in the western side of The Colombo and offer a collection of around 8000 items, an area for children’s sessions and spaces for people to relax and study. The familiar team from South will run the pop-up library.

“South Library’s true home is on that beautiful riverside spot in Beckenham, and we’ll all miss it while it’s out of action, but the pop-up will be a lovely little spot in the interim and the end result of all this work –  Ōmōkihi – will be well worth the decade-plus wait,” Mrs Robertson says.

Ōmōkihi will be built on the same site, and keep a similar floor area, as the current facility. It will provide a library, customer services, learning centre, café, governance spaces and meeting rooms.

The pop-up library will be open seven days, with exact hours to be confirmed, and is expected to operate until December 2026, when Ōmōkihi South Library is set to open.

The Council Customer Service Hub in the South building will temporarily relocate to Pioneer Recreation and Sport Centre for the duration of the Ōmōkihi construction.