Welcome to a world far beyond the giant parking lot of the internet.
A world of discovery tailored to enrich our community with information and services that will engage, educate and entertain you.
From the lastest best-selling fiction novels, through special New Zealand non-fiction works, movies and TV shows, to children's board books—you'll find something for everyone at your local library, And if you can't find exactly what you need, maybe our librarians can: our reserves and interloan services expand your horizons even further.
Our collections include:
- Reference materials
- Newspapers and magazines
- Local history
- Adult fiction & non-fiction
- Large print fiction & non-fiction
- Biographies
- Audio Books
- DVDs
- Parenting materials
- Specialised children's and teens' fiction and non-fiction.
Fiction
Our fresh fiction collection holds novels across all genres and hosts a wide range of New Zealand authors.
Loan period:
Three weeks
Renewal:
Yes, if the item is not on request
Rental Fee:
$2.50 applies to new fiction only
Non-Fiction
Our vibrant non-fiction collection covers a wide range of topics including hobbies, educational resources, Maori and more.
Loan Period:
Three weeks
Renewal:
Yes, if the item is not on request
Rental Fee:
No rental change
Biography
From royalty to reality TV stars and everything in between, our biography collection has something for everyone. Discover these fascinating real life stories.
Loan Period:
Three weeks
Renewal:
Yes, if the item is not on request
Rental Fee:
No rental change
Large Print
Our large print collection holds fiction, biography and non-fiction. We have a variety of new Large Print stock arriving each month.
Loan Period:
Three weeks
Renewal:
Yes, if the item is not on request
Rental Fee:
No rental change
Audio Books
Library Collection:
We own an array of talking books including both fiction and non-fiction titles. This collection is fresh and new items are being added monthly.
Loan Period:
Three weeks
Renewal:
Yes, if the item is not on request
Rental Fee:
$2.50 applies to general borrowers BUT no charge to those who are print disabled
National Library Audio Book Collection
The National Library of New Zealand supplements our own Audio Book collection by supplying us with a variety of talking books every three months. These audio books are supplied for those who are print disabled only.
Loan Period:
Three weeks
Renewal:
Yes, if available and not on request or due back at the National Library.
Rental Fee:
Free rental only for those who are print disabled only
DVDs
Action, adventure, romance, comedy, documentaries and more! Check out our exhilarating DVD collection.
Loan Period:
One week
Renewal:
Yes, if available and not on request
Rental Fee:
$2.50 per week
Magazines
Up to the minute magazines! From hunting and fishing to cooking and craft to science and fashion. We have over 45 titles to stimulate you.
Loan Period:
One week
Renewal:
Yes, if available and not on request
Rental Fee:
$1.00 per week
Reference
- Encyclopedias and yearbooks
- Language, biographical and other dictionaries
- New Zealand electoral rolls
- Atlases and city street directories
- Council, Government and Environment Waikato publications
- Coin and stamp catalogues
- Statistics and census results
- Medical information
Reference items cannot be borrowed
Closed Reference (Thames Library only)
- Thames history books
- Hauraki history books
- New Zealand history books
- Burial records
- Local newspaper indexes
- Local photographs
Closed reference items cannot be borrowed
Archives (Thames Library only)
- Old Thames electoral rolls, maps, photographs and telephone directories
- Cyclopedia of New Zealand 1902
- School rolls
- Books on Thames and New Zealand history
Archives items cannot be borrowed
Interloans
Still can't find what you're looking for? If the item you want is not in our collection, you can request it from us as an inter-library loan, and we'll source it from another New Zealand library for you. Interloans start from $6.00 per item, and you'll need to fill in an interloan form at one of our libraries. You can search the Te Puna catalogue to see which books are held at libraries around New Zealand.
Remember, if you're looking for something that's brand new or hasn't been released yet, you can always suggest it for us to purchase.