The Friends of Wānaka Library (FOWL) group is celebrating a productive and enjoyable ten years of support for the library, following its establishment when the library services were under threat from Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC).

In 2013 then QLDC chief executive Adam Feeley cut staff allocation for the library by 50 percent, and proposed that librarians become customer service representatives dealing with general council business. 

“The library was really threatened,” FOWL founding member Kate Bariletti told the Wānaka App.

“Adam Feeley said libraries were a thing of the past.”  

In response, FOWL was set up by Kate, Lady Prue Wallis, Dame Sukhi Turner, Jan Janata, Nicola Martinovich, and Kim Tomlin to “promote and support the libraries in the Wānaka area”.

The group organised a march from the library to the QLDC office which attracted more than 100 people.

Jan surveyed the community on what they wanted from their library, and the group looked at ways the library could evolve to meet people’s needs.

Kate Bariletti

“We started a mums and toddlers group… we wanted them to feel like the library was their space,” Kate said. The group also organised Saturday morning music and local speakers.

“Slowly, people began to realise how much the library could offer,” she said.

“We slowed the council down.”

FOWL has hosted social English sessions for immigrants and visitors to the community; they threw a huge lakefront picnic to honour the librarians; sponsored poet and author sessions; and supported book launches of library members.

“It’s becoming a hub - there’s really something for everyone. The librarians are doing such creative things,” Kate said.

The librarians have also embraced technology and “there are lots of ways to connect to the library that are modern and contemporary”, she added.

FOWL has supported the Harry Potter Quiz Night, Teddy’s Bear Picnic, the Foodie Book Group, the annual A&P Show sale of second hand library books, early morning hot drinks during winter, and the time capsule.

“We have a great relationship with the librarians. If we have an idea we call and talk to them,” Kate said.

Head librarian Sue Gwilliam told the Wānaka App that FOWL had helped librarians “raise the library's profile to locals in ways we'd never considered pre 2015”.

Wānaka Library

Celebrating the decade

To celebrate the “great ten years” there will be a celebration at Wānaka Library on Thursday February 29.

There will be finger food, cakes, and music on the Wānaka Library terrace from 4.30pm - 5pm.

The AGM will follow, and Kate said FOWL will give a Friends of Wānaka Library bag to everyone who attends. 

“We’ve come so far,” Kate said.

She said the librarians have told her they “can’t even imagine” what it would be like without the support of FOWL.

Where to now for FOWL?

The membership has been “slowed down by Covid” and other life events, and most will retire from the group this year.

They are hoping for five new people to join the group, which is well set up and ready to go under new membership. Kate will see the transition through with the help of Marilyn Duncan and Sue Moore.

“If you love books and your family uses the library, you’re the ideal person [to join the group],” she said.

Sue Gwilliam said the library team “would love to see the group continue and gain more members”.

“Their contribution over the years is valued and the potential for more would be appreciated - outreach to those unable to physically visit our libraries is a growth area.”

Kate said the celebration of a decade of support and the beginning of a new committee would be an ideal time to run a second community survey.

“There are just so many opportunities that we haven’t even imagined yet. We just need new fresh people with energy and maybe a different outlook.”

PHOTOS: Wānaka App