Former Christchurch City Libraries staff member Bindy Barclay recalls the old Central Library
The photos posted have brought back some great memories of the old “CP” library. Certainly, trying to install ‘modern’ library management systems into its brick structure – elegant front stage and rabbit warren of outhouses – must have been a challenge. But something of the continuity with great library traditions was lost in the move across the river.
My relationship with the old building began before I ever worked there. In lunch breaks from my school holiday’s job at Ballantynes I would escape the Christmas frenzy to read poetry. For me, nothing in the new library has ever replaced the stillness and aesthetics of the reading room upstairs, sitting in the windsor chairs at the big wooden reading tables across which were scattered the newspapers of the world.
In 1979 Michael Wooliscroft gave me a job – literally overnight. I was on my way to ask for one at the art gallery and stopped in at the library on the way – entering tentatively through the back door in Hereford Street. As a junior in the Circulation department my job involved spending all morning at the paper bench. Newspapers arrived daily from NZ and around the globe in huge canvas sacks. After they were unrolled, stapled and punched ( and my hands were black and sore) they were lugged around the reading rooms and tied, with black shoe laces onto boards – presumably made by Lewis. Old papers were removed and lugged back. The smock seriously came into its own for that job!
The paper bench was beside the cataloguing room. I was fairly terrified of the cataloguers yet was also in awe of Barbara Collie. She would sail out of the smoked glass doors, cardigan elegantly draped around her shoulders ( cigarette in hand? ) … somehow I have partially morphed her in my memory with Bette Davis! Later, when I had graduated to being allowed to cancel in the accessions register, I would work quietly while this quirky team joked and parried each other. Barbara Collie modeling a red strapless bra that she was to wear out for an evening event , Brian Gilberthorpe making dry comments on all things… It was a very different world from the Circulation department. As was the Children’s library, through the door and another world again.
My favourite job was doing the flowers, delivered (weekly I think) by the botanic gardens staff, and worked into huge arrangements in a sink near the bindery. This gave me a glimpse into the wonderful world of Don Hampshire and his team of craftspeople. The flower arrangements, in brass vases, sat on top of the card catalogues around the building … and maybe some on the fiction shelves? I remember the dark recesses of the stacks, (such treasure troves), the computer tapes scrolling under the returns desk, the endless queues when the thunking issues machines failed and we had to write all the magnetic codes by hand? The wonderfully restrained Miss Ust gently growling at us for talking during shelf tidying times.. and was it Dorothy who was always laughing -finding names of authors that related to their books ” Perfect lawns” by I. C. Green… I still play that game and think of her!
As a new librarian, I love hearing Bindy’s memories. And of course we want to hear more. Do you remember the people Bindy is talking about? Can you recall the move from the old library to the new? If so, please comment here or contact library150@ccc.govt.nz to share your memories.
150 years 