The Port Nicholson Exchange and Public Library.pdf (380.53 kB)
The Port Nicholson Exchange and Public Library 1840-1842
This paper discusses the establishment and demise of New Zealand’s first public library, the Port Nicholson Exchange and Public Library. It shows how the plans made in Britain for the establishment of public institutions could not easily translate to a colonial environment. While the vision of the promoters was later adapted to suit local conditions the original books eventually became part of the Wellington Public Library collection.