He Puna Wānanga
Heritage & Research
Heritage & Research, formerly located in Ngā Wāhi Rangahau, at Willow Street, is now open to the public in He Puna Manawa, 21 Devonport Road (access also available from Grey Street). Here you will find most of our book collections (Reference, Māori Reference, Joyce West Collection and Family History), as well as genealogy and research resources and databases, including microfilm and microfiche, located in He Puna Wānanga (meaning springs of knowledge).
Online access to digitised archives is available 24/7 at paekoroki.tauranga.govt.nz and research queries can be emailed to Research@tauranga.govt.nz. Customer access to physical archives and special book collections (including the Munro and Sladden collections) is available at an offsite location by appointment.
Tauranga has a rich and varied history from early Māori voyagers through to European settlers. Tauranga City Library seeks to gather this rich history and preserve it for future generations.
Our collection focuses on people, places and events in the Western Bay of Plenty, from Waihi Beach to Otamarakau. Here you can find out about the vibrant early history of our city and surrounding districts, from the arrival and settlement of Māori, the Musket Wars, missionaries, the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, the New Zealand Wars and military settlement, trade, transport and industry, the harbour and port, agriculture and horticulture.
He Puna Wānanga - Heritage & Research contains a wide range of material. There are separate sequences for Reference, Māori Reference, Family History and the Joyce West collection. The Reference collection contains a variety of Local History resources at 993.421, Local and Central Government publications, New Zealand Statistics and Standards, as well as General Reference items. Historic electoral rolls are available in the Family History section. Research well known personalities, or find your ancestors among those buried in local cemeteries. Spend time browsing local school journals, telephone directories, electoral rolls, historical society journals, the local card index, microfilm and microfiche collections, and a range of databases.
The Munro collection contains publications relating to maritime history and the Bernard Sladden collection contains substantial and historic works on New Zealand and Pacific history and exploration. These collections are stored in our climate controlled room alongside our archives and photographic collection in an offsite location, available by appointment by emailing Research@tauranga.govt.nz.
Come and visit us at He Puna Manawa. The staff at the enquires desk will help you find the resources you need.