The quiet place doing big things in our community

Local participants in a national survey on the impact of public libraries on community wellbeing have recognised NPDC’s Puke Ariki and Community Libraries as places that boost happiness, strengthen a sense of belonging, and foster a love of reading.

More than 450 New Plymouth residents shared their experiences of using libraries across the district through the Public Libraries of New Zealand (PLNZ) Community Impact Survey. Their responses paint a clear picture of a service that plays a much bigger role in people’s lives than just somewhere to borrow books.

Local participants consistently ranked Puke Ariki highly for its social impact, with more than 82 per cent reporting a stronger sense of belonging and connection to their community. To understand what these results look like in everyday life, we asked visitors at Puke Ariki Library about why the library matters to them.

Royce, 77, says that connection is especially important for him: “I’m not online, so the library is how I stay connected to what’s going on in the world. I come here to read the papers. It helps that it’s warm and welcoming and there’s always a good vibe inside. I worry about how technology is creating isolation in the world, so this place really matters to me.”

More than 90 per cent of survey respondents also said the library increased their feelings of happiness and wellbeing.

Pippa, 19, a university student, says the purposeful environment in the library makes a real difference: “When I’m home from uni, the library is where I come to study. I find it hard to work at home, but here I feel focused and calm. Everyone’s here for the same reason, and that shared atmosphere really helps.”

The survey results also highlight the role local community libraries play in supporting learning and personal growth with more than 56 per cent indicating that using the library had improved their independence, confidence or self-esteem, while more than 90 per cent agreed the library encouraged a love of reading.

Shoshanah, 25, says the library has become an important part of her family’s weekly routine: “There’s no cost, no time pressure, and it’s such a welcoming space for kids. My daughter loves coming here, and I love having somewhere she can explore and learn.”

Angela Jowitt, Puke Ariki Libraries Manager, says the results reflect what staff see every day. “What stands out is how deeply people value our local libraries. Puke Ariki and the Community Libraries play an important role in the social fabric of our district. They’re welcoming places that people rely on, and that’s down to the care and commitment of our library staff.”

Now in its second year, the PLNZ Community Impact Survey looks beyond traditional measures such as visits and book loans to better understand the real‑world impact libraries have on people’s lives.

The recent results show Puke Ariki is performing at or above national averages across all impact areas, including a social impact score of 4.3 out of 5 compared with the national average of 4.1. Read the full report on our website; the final page of the report is dedicated the Puke Ariki’s results.

The PLNZ Community Impact Survey was conducted in November 2025 and gathered insights from over 10,000 library users nationwide.

At a glance

• Puke Ariki opened on 15 June 2003.
• It is the world’s first purpose-built, fully integrated museum, library and visitor information centre.
• Puke Ariki and the Community Libraries had more than 623k people through their doors in 2025 calendar year and issued 700,935 items.
• In the past 3 years, there have been 30k active library members.
• In 2025, 185,667 audiobooks and ebooks were downloaded.
• In 2025, 23,232 film, music and TV titles were streamed through library platforms, up 19 per cent on the previous year, and 32,171 views of eMagazines and eComics, an increase of 11 per cent year on year.
  
  

Caption: NPDC’s Puke Ariki and the Community Libraries offer welcoming spaces where people can connect, spend time together and feel part of their community.