Wakefield Public Library (Former), located on a prominent site in Edward Street, Wakefield, has historical value for being one of a small number of libraries constructed with a government subsidy that celebrated the coronation of His Majesty King George V. It reflects local expressions of respect and support for the British Empire, sentiments that were repeated all around New Zealand to mark the coronation, resulting in lasting evidence of loyalty and esteem. The building also demonstrates the importance placed on a public library service. Since its completion in 1912, the building has had a strong association with community leisure activities in this Tasman District settlement, serving as a meeting space for a variety of clubs and associations.

Māori settled in what became known as the Nelson region in the 1300s, since which time a series of tribes arrived, mainly from the North Island. Ngāti Tūmatakōkiri displaced Ngāi Tara in the early 1600s, and were displaced themselves in the 1790s, with further upheavals in 1828. Extensive kūmara plantations were developed on the Waimea Plains, an area that received Pākeha settlers shortly after organised European settlement began in the area in the early 1840s. The settlement of Wakefield, originally known as Pitfure, was named to commemorate Arthur Wakefield, who died during the Wairau affray in 1843. Wakefield’s first library, the Waimea South Mechanics Institute and Circulating Library, was opened on 17 July 1856 on Pitfure Road and served its community for almost 40 years. By the early 1900s, a desire to house the Institute in ‘better conditions [in] a more central position in the township’ drove efforts to build ‘an up-to-date, substantial, and creditable library and institute’.

Land for the new library, ‘in a sunny and central position’, was donated by Joseph Gibbs, a resident of the Waimea district. An application was made for a Coronation grant, a scheme which provided subsidies of up to £250 for local bodies to construct structures for public purposes.Approximately 28 local authorities across New Zealand applied for subsidies for libraries, and Waimea was granted just over £189 in 1911. The building was designed by notable Nelson architect William Houlker and tenders were called for in November 1911.11 Construction began the following month, led by Edward Haase, and by early February 1912 it was nearing completion. The Coronation grant allowed for a pound for pound subsidy, which spurred the canvassing for donations, with residents being urged to ‘rally round, seize, and make the most of the opportunity that now presents itself’. Furnishing and equipment was acquired through private donation and public subscription. Miss Ada Bird was appointed Librarian, a position she held until her death in 1941. Although librarianship had traditionally been male dominated, in New Zealand female library staff had outnumbered men by 1906. The library was quickly deemed a success, having ‘added greatly to the improved appearance of the township, and…designed for the comfort and convenience of patrons’. The annual report and balance sheet for 1913 showed a membership of over sixty and a total of 1092 books. It was not a free service – use of the library was through annual subscription.

Waimea County Council took over the building in 1941 and repairs and renovations were undertaken in 1944, but the exterior of the single-storey building is relatively unaltered, including rusticated weatherboards, sash windows, and a leadlight panel above the main door. The building served as the base for the town’s Plunket rooms for forty years, until a new Plunket Society building was constructed in 1955. After the Plunket Society moved again in 1990, the library was shifted to the building the Society had vacated. The former library building has accommodated various other civic and community groups over the years, including Scouts and Guides, St John Ambulance, and the Wakefield Band. In 2023, it housed the Wakefield Toy Library.