LIANZA

LIBRARY OF THE ISSUE

TE MĀTĀPUNA AT TE WĀNANGA ARONUI O TĀMAKI MAKAURAU (AUT)

Te Wānanga Aronui o Tāmaki Makaurau (AUT) became a university in 2000. Built on a proud vocational education foundation, and is now Aotearoa New Zealand’s second-largest university. And this year, for the first time, they were ranked New Zealand’s second-placed university in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2023. Their library is, therefore, the youngest academic library in Aotearoa New Zealand. There are three branches across Tāmaki Makaurau – Waihorotiu, Akoranga and Manukau, ensuring students have access to welcoming study spaces with literature relevant to their courses on their campus.

THE GIFTING OF A NEW NAME – TE MĀTĀPUNA

On July 22 they were gifted a new name – Te Mātāpuna, which has a whakapapa to the waterways of Tāmaki Makaurau. The name was given to the library by Dr Valance Smith, Taituwha King and Erana Foster. Being gifted such a beautiful name was an honor. The name was unveiled at AUT ki Waihorotiu on that day by LIANZA President, Kim Taunga.

Twelve months prior to the name unveiling, Troy Tuhou and the AUT Library Māori Engagement Group (LMEG) started work with Dr Valence Smith, Assistant Pro-vice Chancellor Māori on this important kaupapa.

According to Kim Tairi, Kaitoha Puka (University Librarian), “The gift of Te Mātāpuna is an important pou that lets our community know that together we are on a journey to indigenise our services and work towards embedding more Te Tiriti o Waitangi honoring practices into our strategy, planning and practice.”

Te Mātāpuna can be translated as ‘the wellspring,’ it speaks to the special connection AUT has to the underground waterways, tributaries and rivers that continue to flow through Tāmaki Makaurau connecting us to both the Manukau and Waitematā harbours. Te Mātāpuna also alludes to the faces (mata) of those present within the space,

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2022-12-01T08:00:00.0000000Z

2022-12-01T08:00:00.0000000Z

https://lianza.pressreader.com/article/281728388549376

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