Libraries in the Waikato district are funded by rates payed by the district’s residents. Waikato District Council ratepayers and residents are welcome to become a member of a Waikato District Library. Library membership is free for residents and people who live in districts which have reciprocal membership rights.
To join a library you must fill out an application and have appropriate identification and proof of address. Parents / Guardians are required to fill out applications on behalf of their children.
When you become a library member you will be issued with a library card which you will need in order to borrow items from the libraries.
About Library Membership
Library membership is free to Waikato District Council ratepayers and residents. Waikato District Libraries are funded from rates.
The Waikato District Council has reciprocal membership rights, where residents of other districts can join Waikato District Libraries free of charge, and Waikato District residents can join those Councils' libraries free of charge if they wish.
These districts are:
- Hamilton City
- Waipa District
- Matamata Piako District
- Franklin District
- Hauraki District
To join a Waikato District Library if you live outside these areas, a subscription fee is required.
Becoming a Library Member
To join a Waikato District Library you must complete an application form and bring the required identification and proof of your address.
To join Waikato District Libraries you will need to bring:
- Identification showing your name and signature
- Something showing your current address
To act as a Parent / Guardian on behalf of a child's application requires that you fill out a membership application form for the child and sign it in front of a Librarian. You will then be issued with the child's library card. Acting as a guardian makes you responsible for any charges incurred on the child's card.
A satisfactory identification with signature includes a:
- Credit card
- NZ driver's licence
- Community services card
- Passport
- ID card with photo, eg. student, business
- Library card from another area, with signature
- Birth certificate
- Legal document
- Bank card with a printed name
Satisfactory proof of address includes a:
- Rates assessment
- Rent book
- House purchase or tenancy agreement
- Current phone, power account or other official current document
- Current bank statement
Library Cards
You will be given a library card that you will need each time you want to borrow an item. This card and the items borrowed on it are your personal responsibility.
Your card is very important and you should notify your local library immediately if it is lost or stolen.
Remember, let us know if your contact details change, and please don't let others borrow your card - you remain responsible for all charges incurred.
Personal Information
When you apply for a library membership you will be asked to give personal details, such as your address, phone number, date of birth, employment details, and ethnicity.
Why is my personal information important to the library?
Waikato District Libraries need to be able to contact you to deliver services and to ensure that you are responsible for any item loaned to you.
If you forget to bring your library card to the library your personal information can be checked alongside alternative identification for a fee of 30 cents.
The library uses the data from your personal records to collate demographic information that assists in providing the most appropriate collection and services for borrowers.
Who will have access to my personal information?
The staff of Waikato District Libraries and agencies operating on behalf of Waikato District Libraries will have access to your personal information. This includes debt collection agencies and guarantors.
There is no New Zealand Act of Parliament that requires you to give your personal information. Waikato District Libraries may decline your application if you do not provide the requested information.