After 27 years gracing the main street, Katikati Library could be on the move, with Western Bay of Plenty District Council eyeing a new $2.3million facility.

Opened in 1987, the current building wasbuilt jointly by Tauranga County, Katikati Riding and Community Council, Island View/Pios Shore and Athenree Community councils.

The existing Katikati Library and the ‘Dunning property' between Talisman Drive and Main Road, where a new library is proposed.

It replaced the library in the Memorial Hall from 1955 after shifting from the town's first library in the Court House next to the Police Station in 1879.

As part of its Long Term Plan consultation, the council will talk to ratepayers in a series of community road shows, and the future of the current library is high on the agenda.

The documents outline how it is seeking feedback on three options for Katikati's Library and Service Centre, including a proposal to bring forward the building of a new medium-sized facility in Talisman Drive.

In time, council plan to upgrade all of the district libraries, ensuring they meet the communities' needs. In 2013 it upgraded the Te Puke library – one of four Library and Service Centres in the Western Bay district along with Waihi Beach, Katikati and Omokoroa.

Council says it had planned to build a new library in 2021, but with the Katikati community wanting it to happen sooner, it proposes to bring forward the new build to 2016.

Together, the libraries stock more than 88,000 items for borrowing, including books, DVDs, and audio books. Library membership is free for all residents and ratepayers in the district and Tauranga City.

Information and assistance was also provided to 19,501 international and local visitors from July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2014 at the visitor centres at Katikati and Te Puke.

Three options will be put forward for the community to submit on, including refurbishing the current library and bringing forward the library build to 2016 in either a 'medium sized” or 'larger sized” capacity.

Refurbishing the existing library to add some additional space would cost $1.2million in 2015/16, with the annual impact on ratepayers at $2.01 for properties costing more than $500,000 and $6.03 for properties in excess of $1.5m.

Bringing forward the new library build to 2016, consisting of a medium sized space with the library, council services and a multi-use space would cost $2.3m.

This would be built on the ‘Dunning property' between Talisman Drive and Main Road, allowing council to have the potential to expand the building in the future.

The annual impact on ratepayers would rise to $3.85 and $11.56 respectively.

The final option is bringing the build forward to 2016 and building a larger space which could be used for a range of community activities. This would also be built on the Dunning property.

The total cost would be $4million with $6.70 and $20.10 the respective annual impact for ratepayers.

Council's preferred option is the 'medium sized” build as it allows it to build a facility that meets the community's needs, at a reasonable cost.

This would most likely be funded through a loan that would be paid back over 25 years.

If option one or two are decided upon, the existing library will be retained for community use and the ‘Blue House' that currently sits on the Dunning property will be relocated.