Beckenham’s rebuilt library and customer service hub will open its doors on Tuesday 1 December, with staff preparing to move around 43,000 library items into the new building.

Ōmōkihi will officially open at 3pm, following Christchurch City Council’s rebuild of the earthquake-damaged South Library and Customer Service Hub, Te Kete Wānanga o wai Mōkihi. Work began in August 2025.

Council Head of Libraries and Information Erica Rankin said construction had gone smoothly, with contractors handing over the keys ahead of a month of preparation by library and customer service staff.

“We have around 43,000 library items to migrate back to Ōmōkihi, including 12,000 from our temporary library at the Colombo. On top of that is all the IT equipment, library resources, and furniture that need to be set up and tested,” she said.

The new facility includes an Auahatanga Creative Space, bookable meeting rooms, a council customer services hub, a café, study nooks and an exhibition area.

The Waihoro Spreydon-Cashmere-Heathcote Community Board will also operate from the building.

Temporary facilities established during the rebuild will begin closing in November as staff prepare to return to Ōmōkihi.

South Colombo Library will permanently close at 4pm on Sunday 8 November. Rankin encouraged visitors to use other libraries across the city to browse, return books, collect holds and access resources during the transition.

Customer service staff based at Pioneer Recreation and Sport Centre will move back to Ōmōkihi on Wednesday 2 December, the day after the library opens.

Rankin said community activities and events were being planned to celebrate the reopening, with details to be announced closer to the date.

“There’s quite a long to-do list, but the whole team is thrilled about Ōmōkihi’s next chapter getting underway.”