You are here Home> Services> Facilities & Recreation> Suva City Carnegie Library

Suva City Carnegie Library

Mission statement

“To provide timely, relevant and efficient library and information services for the cultural, social, economic and intellectual development of Suva, including its business community.
To create and strengthen in children and young people a love for reading and learning.”

On this page:

History

The Suva City Carnegie Library is a public library which serves the Central and Eastern Division of Fiji.

    Year

    Description of Event

    1908 The foundation stone was laid by the Governor of Fiji, Sir Everard Imthurn, on 1st September
    1909 Andrew Carnegie, an American iron and steel manufacturer provided the grant that enabled the completion of the central portion of the present library building. The library was opened to the public on the 20th November and was known as the Carnegie Library.
    1922 A Children’s wing established
    1930 Two wings on either side of the original structure were added.
    1953 Through a resolution adopted by the then Suva City Council changed the name to Suva City Library.
    1972 A 7ton Bedford truck was used as a mobile library to serve Primary Schools.
    1991 The 7ton truck was replaced by a vehicle provided by the Embassy and the people of Japan.
    1996 The Children’s Library were demolished to make way for the construction of the Civic Tower Building and is now accommodated within the main library.
    2002 Free Library internet implemented by ITC Services through Government’s eGov project.
    2005 New Zealand Aid refurbished and donated new books to the Children’s library in July.
    2008
      To commemorate the library’s centennial anniversary, the building was renovated, name changed to Suva City Carnegie Library in January
      In September, Mr William Thomson CBE (family member of the late Mr Andrew Carnegie) was invited to officiate as Chief Guest for the Centennial anniversary and launch a book titled Suva City Carnegie Library 100th anniversary 1908-2008 by Isimeli Cerelala and Frances Pene was published.
    2009
      In June Mr Robert De Raeve (EU) launched the EU Info Point which consists of EU reports, periodicals and 2 computers with free Internet to access the EU website. This was a three year partnership between the European Union and Suva City Council.
      In August the Library’s User-pay Internet service began operations
      10 computers were donated to the library on 21st September 2011 by the Embassy of the Republic of China.
    2013 In August a new library mobile was gifted to the library by the High Commission of India.



Hours of opening

The present opening hours for the Suva City Carnegie Library are:

    Days

    Time

    Monday – Friday 9.30am to 6.00pm
    Saturday 9.00am to 1.00pm
    Sundays and Public Holidays Closed

Membership & entitlements

    Members

    Entitlement

    Children & Mobile members 2 children’s books
    Secondary Students 4 books, inclusive of 2 children’s books
    Adults & Visitors 4 books, inclusive of 2 children’s books

Membership criteria

Membership forms

(i) Adult, Visitor and Tertiary students application form
(ii) Secondary students & Children’s application form

LIBRARY MEMBERSHIP (excerpt from Rules & Regulations of the library)

Registration criteria

i. Complete and sign membership form
ii. Show proof of your current postal address
iii. Membership is NOT instant. There is a 1 week processing period.

Library deposit

Membership categories are as follows:

    Membership

    Fee

    Children & Mobile members $5.20
    Secondary students $10.40
    Adults & Visitors $20.80

Borrowing & Return of books

a) Borrowers shall observe the conditions of borrowing posted in the library and in force at the time.
b) On payment of library deposit fees, members shall be entitled to borrow books as follows:

c) The time allowed for reading or retaining library books shall be 14 days excluding the day of issue. A member who retains a book beyond 14 days unless an extension is granted shall pay a fine of 25cents per day on each book.
All overdue charges and costs shall be paid before new books are issued. Fines and other costs shall be subject to revision as determined from time to time.
d) Each book borrowed shall be stamped at the issue desk with the due date. This date constitutes the official notification to the member as the date by which the book must be returned or renewed.
e) No book shall be taken out of the library without it having been officially stamped by the library staff for loan.
f) A member shall be responsible for books borrowed on his ticket. The member may be required to pay the cost of replacement including administrative costs if the books are lost or damaged.
g) A member shall not lend or exchange books with other people and shall not allow his borrower cards to be used by any other person.
h) Three recall notices will be sent to members with overdue books. After a period of six months, members who still have overdue books shall have their deposits refunded to the library in lieu of the books borrowed and not returned. Members shall be liable for all administrative costs including the postage of overdue recall notices.
i) The Librarian may recall books on loan and they must be returned within the time stated. Neglect of the recall notice shall be treated as contrary to the library Rules & Regulations and may involve loss of membership.
j) Renewals will be granted of books on loan provided they are not reserved by other members.
k) Books may not be renewed by the telephone or post.
l) No person shall be permitted to remove from the library any current newspaper or magazine or any material from the Reference section.

Borrowing of books

Services

These are some of the Services we offer the general public:

    Circulation Information References
    Inter-Library Loans Homework Help Laminating
    Photocopying Children’s Holiday Activities EU Info Point
    User-pay Internet User-pay Printing Car Park space for 3 users
    community display space

Fees

    Item

    Cost

    Photocopy & printing (black & white) $0.25
    Lamination (A4 size) $2.05
    Internet (30 minutes) $1.55
    Lamination (ID size) $1.55
    Internet (1 hour) $2.05
    Damaged book (administrative fee) $4.10
    Damaged book (withdrawn from collection) full cost

Collection

FRIENDS of the Suva City Carnegie Library

Energetic and enthusiastic community minded people are needed to revive FRIENDS of the Suva City Carnegie Library. FRIENDS are needed for projects such as enhancing the library collection and facilities, social activities to promote the library, book clubs and library activities for children.

Gift of Reading

Donate a book to the library. Books may be on any subject matter for any age level, published within the last three years or a recent bestseller. By investing in us, your community will have a quality municipal public library which will benefit everyone as access to the library is FREE of charge. “Help us keep history alive”.
National Library Week themes
2009: Libraries – fountain of knowledge
2010: Communities thrive @ libraries
2011: Create your own story @ your library
2012: Reading unlocks the future
2013: Communities matter @ your library

We encourage you to look over the opportunities the library offers to everyone. If you would like to check on these opportunities, please call Alisi Kotoiwasawasa on phone (679) 331 3433 ext 240/238 or email alisi.kotoiwasawasa@scc.org.fj who would be more than happy to be the contact point in bringing you the benefits of using the Suva City Carnegie Library.