Within minutes of Christchurch Mayor Garry Moore declaring the building open, people were tucked in corners reading books to their children, reclining in bean bags playing the latest X-box games and chatting with friends over a coffee in the cafe, Red. From its beginning, the library looks set, as the Libraries manager says, to be "so much more than books".

Among the raft of distinguished guests at the opening ceremony were Jim Genet, a volunteer for more than 40 years at the old Beckenham Volunteer Library and Isla Hunter, whose family had owned the library/service centre site before selling it to the Council. Mr Genet, 85, was given the honour of borrowing the library's first book, while Miss Hunter, in her 90s, helped Mr Genet and Mr Moore to cut the ribbon to declare the building open.