Two years ago, in February 2008, it got a new roof. Now it’s the turn of the iron supporting posts.
In wet weather, rain drips from the roof and down the posts. Some posts have rusted almost completely away near ground level.
The library wants its new roof to remain overhead so Raro Welding boys are on the job replacing the corroded sections.
LOOKING BACK
Before 1960 there was neither a library nor a museum in the Cook Islands. (Now there are two of each but that’s another story!)
The CILAMS story began at a public meeting in the early 1960s. The people elected at the meeting had a massive job.
Makea Nui Ariki Teremoana CBE donated land for the venture and the committee started fund raising,
Architect Ken Mills designed the original building (steel frame with concrete block panels; roofing of corrugated galvanised iron; wooden ceiling linings; concrete floor).
It was completed in 1963 and opened in December 1964. The Cook Islands Library and Museum Society now had a place to call home.
During 1974 and 1975 the building expanded with a new 800 sq ft extension to provide archives for the Cook Islands government and private sector.
The library and museum both grew and membership has increased so more space was needed!
In 1999 the existing verandah was closed in to form the new junior library and a smaller verandah added on.
The room at the back of the library that once housed the archives is now used by the University of the South Pacific for art classes.
Rotary funded a lean-to in 2009. It will be used for outdoor events such as sculpture workshops.
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