Tauranga ratepayers will be asked to endorse a change in library policy that prevents council having to build new library buildings, while acknowledging the city libraries' increasing role in electronic media.

The council discussion, observed by about 20 Friends of The Library, was over a policy paper on Library Levels of Service. The policy change adopted by the council for the annual plan, marks a turning point in the council's relationship with the Tauranga's libraries.

Libraries manager Jill Best. Photo by Tracy Hardy.

Until now the city council/library ratio has been population based – in 2012 it was 41m2 of library space per 1000 people and 2.6 stock items per resident.

The council is now taking a different approach – one that takes the pressure off it having to build new library buildings to keep up with the population.

Instead the council will aim to ensure that library buildings are located within five kilometres of most Tauranga residents. Future library branches may be leased commercial premises in malls or shopping centres. There will be an increasing emphasis on internet services: downloading e-books, digitising reference collections, providing access to data bases and helping people access online material.

Libraries manager Jill Best says the policy is the first official recognition that the library does a whole lot of things besides lending books –teaching people how to use online technology, collecting local history and digitising it, etc.

'Up until now we haven't had any formal policy about the library. It's just grown up here with a one year activity plan like all the other departments.

'Now we have got that. We do have a mandate to go ahead with the services that we are currently providing. I think it is a very good thing.”

Also to be discussed in the annual plan process is a council suggestion that e-books will be free for a year after July 1, and that the library Wi-Fi is also free. At present there is a $2 charge.

Councillor Larry Baldock says the library's Wi-Fi can probably be picked up for free outside the building.

Years ago, Larry says he used to routinely park outside municipal libraries to use their Wi-Fi to access his emails. 'Did you have to disclose that publicly?” says Mayor Stuart Crosby.