As the region grows pressure builds on all kinds of accommodation, from rental properties to classrooms.
Cromwell Primary School’s roll has grown to more than 400 pupils and nearly seven years ago the school library was sacrificed for classroom space.
The opening of newly constructed classrooms earlier this year released most of the former library space and once again the children have a place to borrow books and read them, play and display their art works.
Teachers Sarah Luke and Claire Lincoln took on the job of running the library. They have been organising the unpacking and sorting of the shelving and book collection that has been in storage since before they arrived at the school.
Ms Lincoln said it was a huge task hauling it all out and then seeing how out of date it was.
With the help of National Library adviser Bridget Schaumann the teachers and many parent helpers had unpacked boxes and constructed shelving in the former classroom.
Ms Schaumann’s help was invaluable, Ms Lincoln said.
"She’s amazing. She rolled up her sleeves and weeded the non-fiction. She guided us at every stage."
The National Library had also sent 350 boxes of books to the school on long-term loan.
Ms Luke said the would allow them to build up their collection and fill gaps as they discovered what the children enjoyed. Non-fiction aged badly and much of their original collection was out of date.
She could not wait to begin opening the boxes and scanning the books into the computer system on the library’s new computer.
"We are starting fresh with a clean slate. It’s been a huge learning curve for us learning to use [the computer programme]."
The two teachers had decided to share the "formidable" task of running the library, in addition to their teaching roles.
The children were already using the space and enjoying it, Ms Luke said.
They planned to make the library as bi-lingual as possible and were buying books in Pacific languages as well as Maori.
As well as books there were puzzles and lego in the library for children to play with and an enormous Haast Eagle made by pupils hung from the ceiling.
