When Cyclone Gabrielle tore through the small settlement of Ōmāhu in early 2023, the local school was among the hardest hit, with floodwaters destroying every building except the heavily damaged heritage hall.
Amid the devastation, the school’s library collection was also lost – a loss that came to the attention of Hastings District Libraries staff, who had been working closely with the school on reading and literacy programmes before the cyclone.
On returning to their normal duties following their role in emergency response these staff reconnected with the school – by then operating out of Irongate School hall in Flaxmere – and asked how they could help.
“It was amazing to see how resilient the tamariki were when we visited them at Irongate,” said libraries community engagement team leader Carla Crosbie.
“We sat down with the principal at the time, Te Kewena White, to talk about how we could help. They had already been overwhelmed with gratefully received generosity, but did not have the time or resources to take on the challenge of rebuilding the library and collection.”
In early April 2023, Hastings library staff formed a project team with the local representative of National Library Services to School, Sara Neville, and applied for and received funding through the School Library Collection Recovery initiative. This enabled the team to order more than 2,500 books and 34 metres of mobile shelving.
“Community engagement was central to the process,” Mrs Crosbie said.
“Our staff held hui with teachers and whānau, met with students to understand their interests, and ensured the new collection reflected both the cultural and educational needs of the Ōmāhu community.
“It wasn’t just about replacing books, it was about designing a collection and space that supported how Ōmāhu tamariki learn and thrive.”
With support from Flaxmere-raised musician Tipene Harmer, specialty library software was also purchased to help manage the new collection.
Part-way through the project, Mr White stepped down, and local kaiako (teacher) Kate Crawford took over the role, faced with the next challenge of replacing the library building.
The Ministry of Education had no plans or funding for a dedicated building, so Hastings District Libraries and the project team stepped in again, connecting with Council funding specialists and community groups like Stortford Lodge Rotary Club and Lions International.
Their combined efforts raised enough to fund a stand-alone, fully-fitted library building, complete with ramp access, air conditioning, carpet, and shelving. The building is now owned by the Ōmāhu School Board of Trustees and will serve generations of learners.
“The support from Rotary, Lions, and our wider community has been incredible,” said Ms Crawford.
“This was about more than books – it was about hope, recovery, and the future of our tamariki.”
Ms Neville said it had been humbling to see the care and commitment from everyone involved, and amazing to connect and work alongside the team at Hastings District Libraries.
“The rebuild of the Ōmāhu School library shows the power of collaboration and what’s possible when a community comes together.”
“The care, dedication and passion the libraries staff have shown towards Ōmāhu School has been overwhelming. It is inspiring to see how the wider community has come on board to support this.”
