Originally built in the 1960s and extended in the 1980s, the building is showing signs of age, with deterioration affecting parts of the roof and cladding. To ensure the facility remains safe, welcoming, and fit for purpose for decades to come, the roof and external cladding will be replaced.
The project will also create a new community room and refresh existing library spaces, providing a more modern, flexible environment for people to connect, learn, collaborate and participate in community activities.
Joanna Thomas, Manager of Libraries and Community Hubs, says the upgrade will ensure the much-loved library continues to meet the needs of a growing community.
"Te Ao Mārama - Mount Maunganui Library is an important community hub, welcoming thousands of people through its doors each year.
"While the building has served the community well for decades, parts of it are now showing their age. These upgrades will help future-proof the facility and create more welcoming, functional spaces for the community.
"The new community room will provide a dedicated space for local groups, programmes and activities, helping the library play an even greater role in bringing people together."
During the closure, people will still be able to access library services through Tauranga's other libraries, including the new city centre library which opens on 16 October 2026, as well as the Pāpāmoa and Greerton Libraries. The Mobile Library will also be onsite on Saturdays when works allow, while an extensive collection of e-books and e-audiobooks will remain available online.
For more information about the upgrade and accessing library services during the closure, visit letstalk.tauranga.govt.nz/mount-library-upgrade.