LIBRARY OF THE ISSUE

TUPU YOUTH LIBRARY

Tupu Youth Library is based at Clover Park in Ōtara, Manukau City. The library turned 21 in August. Located close to local schools, its establishment was highly fought for by the community so tamariki and rangatahi would have a space outside of school and home, to grow and learn. It’s the only youth library in Australasia.

TUPU NEW GROWTH

In the late 1990s The City Librarian and two Manukau City councillorsstarted discussions in the community for a library youth space. This was after a store-front location for a library branch proved successful and reinforced by a 1999 Library

Strategy that endorsed locating libraries where people are and encouraging the use of information technology (Daniel, 2003, p2). Ōtara is also an area with a large part of the population under 20 years.

Discussions with local community leaders proved positive. Support came from community leaders, local schools, and church leaders - such as the Minister of the Samoan Church located right next door to the library, and whānau in the Clover Park area. The political and community support was critical for the library’s aims of innovation and social inclusion.

The word ‘Tupu’ means new growth, origin and to begin in Māori and many Polynesian languages. It was selected as the name of the Dawson Road Youth Library by popular choice. Tupu refers both to the young people of the area and to the new knowledge that young people gain by using the library’s resources and services.

A PACIFIC-FOCUSED DESIGN

Ōtara has a rich cultural blend of Samoan, Tongan, Cook Island, Māori and other Pacific peoples. This rich and unique cultural blend is a key component of Tupu’s story, and for good reason they were named the winner of

the 3M Innovation in Libraries Supreme Award for 2003 at the LIANZA conference that year.

To help tamariki feel at home in the space, considerable thought was given to the location, design, and decoration of the building. Clover Park is a large reserve area central to many of the local schools and where young people are. A key issue for the design of Tupu was not only which resources and services to offer, but also how to make Tupu different from other libraries so that the youth of the Clover Park area would come to the library.

The physical space reflects the culture of its users. The original design of the building is based on the waka/vaka, the imported carpet represents the ocean and is a Pacific design. The beautiful counter area is designed with tapa cloth. It is open and spacious with views out through the large windows to the park and invites activity and engagement as much as reading and a focus on digital technology. The youth collection, in particular, is laid around the ping pong table.

Three primary schools, numerous early childhood centres, two intermediates and two high schools are in proximity to the library.

“We are surrounded by our community’s tamariki from primary to high school and we have a great relationship with them. As the children’s librarian, I outreach to 19 preschools and primary schools twice a term for story time sessions. I lead Wriggle and Rhyme sessions in the library for our babies and toddlers which is such a fun time with the tamariki and parents. With the support of my amazing work colleagues, I host big story time plays at the library and run school holiday programs. We are a very LOUD library but a fun and caring library too which helps us connect and serve our community,” says senior librarian Monika Prasad.

ENGAGING TAMARIKI AND RANGATAHI AT THE CORE

Establishing a relationship and engaging with tamariki and rangatahi is key to everything staff do at Tupu Youth. There are two cardinal rules:

1. Learn the names of tamariki and rangatahi

2. All staff are out front in the library space from 3pm.

There are ping pong tables, games, console games, ipads, and many activities to help this engagement. Things to make it fun but always with a pathway towards literacy. “#liftingliteracy is in everything we do,” says Maria Nio Tupu Youth Librarian. “We use these activities to encourage literacy. Tamariki

get to play on the console or pingpong if they read three pages of a book and answer a few comprehension questions. We play word-based games.”

“We find the ones that might be struggling with reading, and we work with them. We’re not a huge circulation-based library and it means we can explore literacy in a different way. It might be through

Manga or Harry Potter or whatever interests we can relate to. We will have black-out poetry, interactive displays, Kahoot! Dependant on the theme we are observing,” says Mazi.

“We try to make our engagement meaningful, by learning names and learning about the tamariki and rangatahi coming in so we can meet them where they are at. We want them to feel seen and known, so they feel comfortable in this space.

It’s pretty unique the type of engagement we have here in this library,” says Fortunato Sagaoinit, library manager at Tupu Youth.

Staff sometimes have to push themselves out of their comfort zones, to break the barriers down. But it’s worth it. Helping tamariki and rangatahi feel safe and welcome is important.

“We make sure we know everyone’s names; the connections are important, and we want them to feel safe. Many come here when their parents aren’t home. We make sure the kids go home by 5.30 when it gets dark. But from school until their time to go home, they are hanging out with us. Their parents trust this library and that we will look out for the tamariki,” says Monika.

CELEBRATING 21 YEARS

It’s a joyful library where staff are fully engaged with tamariki and rangatahi and the challenges of their everyday lives. They love to find ways to meet tamariki and rangatahi where they are at and support them in their growth towards #Liftingliteracy.

The 21st birthday of Tupu Youth Library was celebrated with a cake. games, a large display of photos from over the years, and they played past videos of events and activities. The library also celebrated Cook Island Language Week.

“Many people messaged us saying I remember when the library first opened, I was there. It was revolutionary.”

Check out their Facebook and Instagram @Tupuyouthlibrary to see more of what they do.