For people who aren’t sure what to think about a new library in Nelson, a public presentation this Thursday explores the economic and cultural benefits, and the opportunity a re-imagined library offers Nelson at this pivotal point in the city’s development.

Held at the Trafalgar Park Pavilion this Thursday May 13 from 6.45pm, the convenor of Whakatū Intellectual Capital Kohanga (WICK), Richard Brudvik-Lindner, will share a vision for how we can use a library to solve some of our economic, social and environmental problems, and to create more opportunity for youth, and for all of us.

A reinvented library presents the economic and cultural opportunity of a generation, but that opportunity could be lost if more people don’t get their heads around the project’s potential says Richard, a local high school teacher and former executive at major global technology companies.

“A new library can be a smart strategic investment, tied to economic and cultural outcomes of prosperity, equitability, liveability, sustainability, and vibrancy,” he said.

People object to the price, and people object to the location, Richard argues that we need to focus on the transformative power of 21st century libraries and what a re-invented library can do for us – focus on how to invest intelligently in a new library – and them focus our energies on how to fund it, and where to locate it.

“The library has the potential to become an economic catalyst of the city and the region; a mechanism to address undesirable demographic and economic trends.”

Richard says a multi-functional, re-imagined library, better described as an “Idea Factory” could help to reinvent the central city and build on our heritage as the first city in New Zealand to have a library. “Our last purpose-built library was constructed 110 years ago. It’s time to be good ancestors for the next generation, just like Nelson city founders were to us,” he says.

“Libraries of the 21st century can be an access point for things like 3D printers, tools and other creative resources. They can be a place of programmes for self-improvement and continuing education. They can be a meeting place - a community centre with free public facilities and public meeting rooms. They can be place to develop our community’s intellectual capital – a playground for the brain.”

Richard will be presenting WICK’s well researched vision and answering questions in what he hopes will be a session that will “bust a few myths, blow a few minds and bring us together”.

“Everyone is welcome, we really want to reach the widest audience possible. The time to have this conversation is right now; any later and we risk ending up with something based on business-as-usual thinking that will not propel the city forward.”

Presentation

6:45pm Thursday 13th May

Trafalgar Pavilion, Trafalgar Park.

Free entry

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