Are you interested in learning the basics of drawing, from proportions to composition? Do you love to gain new skills and have fun?

Join our Art Club and create your own piece of art! Absolute beginners welcome!

See times and locations, and register.

Stacked books

There are a variety of groups which meet regularly at our libraries to discuss what they are reading. See our Literature Events page for more information on each of these groups.

Wooden chess pieces on a chess board.

Do you want to command your own army to victory, become a Grandmaster, or just have some fun? Well Tyro Chess is the place for you to do it!

See times and location.

Small cartoon people singing

Come and join a relaxed choir session once a week.

See times and locations.

A man wearing armour, helmet, and wielding a large hammer over his shoulder.

The Cosplay Collaborative is a place where cosplayers of all levels can meet and learn more about cosplay or work on a project. This fortnightly workshop is a place where we will share our skills, such as sewing, 3D printing, foam work, and more. From concept to completion, you are welcome to work on a cosplay at any stage.

See times and location.

Crowd of people with different coloured speech bubbles with the word Hello in various languages. The largest speech bubble says English Learners' Corner.

Practice your English in this fun social group! Grab a coffee from a nearby café, meet new friends and build your confidence.

See times and locations.

A night for board game fans to come together and play!

Many board games are available but feel free to bring one if you’d like. Adults and teens welcome.

See times and location.

Black and white family portrait from 19th century. Some people are visible only as silhouettes.

Seminars on a range of genealogical topics are held regularly on Level 3 of Central Library. Previous topics have included: Shipping Records, Military Records, Irish Family Research, and Genealogy for Beginners.

See details and upcoming topics.

Searching through record cards

Volunteers from the Hamilton Branch of the New Zealand Society of Genealogists are available to assist with family history research queries.

See times and locations.

Logo for the Out of the Box event - Heritage Collections.

The Ngaa Koorero Tuku Iho teams bring items out of the box and visit Te Kete Aronui Rototuna Library once a month to answer questions and help you with research and advice.

Suitable for adults.

See more Out of the Box information and times.

Black and white aerial view of residential neighbourhood with the wordsHeritage Talk

Heritage Talks are held bi-monthly on Level 3 of Central Library. Previous topics have included: identifying locations in historic photographs, histories of selected Hamilton streets, researching the history of a house, transit camps in Hamilton, the New Zealand Remembrance Army, and the Maunder family photographs (a collection of glass plate negatives in our Historic Photographs collection).

See details and upcoming topics.

Justice of the Peace banner

Justice of the Peace (JP) services are available at the Central Library and Glenview Library.

Duties, which all JPs can perform, include witnessing signatures on documents, certifying copies of documents and completing declarations (including statutory declarations), affidavits or affirmations.

See times and locations.

Gold and white mountains and clouds pattern, with the text Want to learn Mandarin or Cantonese? and the same question below in Chinese.

You will be surprised how easy it is to kick start your Mandarin or Cantonese learning journey!

Bring your questions so we can explore your curiosity and potential together through this free entry-level class.

See times and location.

Librarian Nikki signing New Zealand in New Zealand Sign Language.

Come and learn New Zealand’s official language for the Deaf Community with free weekly sign language classes at Central Library.

See times and locations.

Russian Language and Culture

Come along and spend an hour each week learning about the language and culture of Russia. This is a beginner level class, run in collaboration with the New Zealand Russian Community Trust.

See times and locations.

Te Reo Tupu offers you a FREE opportunity to grasp the basic skills of te reo Maaori to understand and speak confidently at ANY given space. 

Over eight weeks you will be given teachings, resources and opportunities to use and  improve your reo, while also getting an insight into the Maaori worldview.

See times and location, and register.

A jumble of assorted craft supplies, including balls of yarn, thread spools, buttons, knitting needles, scissors, and measuring tape.

Join us for an evening of creativity and camaraderie at Make and Mend, hosted by Waikato TimeBank. Gather your handcrafts, knitting needles, sewing kits, or projects that need attention. Whether you’re an experienced crafter or a novice exploring your creative side, come join us on the last Thursday of each month and enjoy making and mending with like-minded individuals.

Suitable for adults, teens, and older children.

See location and times.

Origami shapes

Free origami workshop with a different theme each month! All welcome, no registration required.

Suitable for all ages.

See times and locations.

Practice your speaking and communication skills in a fun, welcoming and friendly environment. Suitable for both fluent and new English speakers - all levels of ability are welcome.

See times and locations.

Close-up photo of a pair of hand belonging to an older person, holding and using a smartphone.

Got a new smartphone? Need some help to use it? One of our free classes might be just what you’re looking for. Attend any or all!

See times and locations, and register.

The Writer's Den support group

If you share our passion for writing, you are welcome to meet with us fortnightly, share your work, receive feedback and support on our writing journeys.

See times and locations.

Occasional Adults' Events

Auaha Workshops

Auaha 3D Printing

 

Aside from regular programming, we often run various one-off workshops and courses in our makerspace. Past and planned programmes include Candle Camp, 3D Printing Basics, Podcast Recording, TronBots, Coding Classes, Watercolour Painting, and more! View our Event Calendar to see what's coming up.

If you're proud of a creative hobby or skillset you have, and want to share your passion with others through Auaha Makerspace, please get in touch with us!

Author Events

Jack Cottrell

 

Our libraries have hosted a number of authors for talks and workshops, particularly during the Hamilton Book Month festival each August.

Look out for the next author event on our Event Calendar, Facebook page, or sign up to our newsletter, ePaanui, for updates.

Genealogy Workshops

19th Century family portrait with the word Workshop

 

Genealogy Workshops are held regularly on Level 3 of Central Library. The workshops offer instruction in varying aspects of family history research and the resources we have to offer.

Keep an eye on our Event Calendar, Facebook page, or sign up to our newsletter, ePaanui, to find out when the next Genealogy Workshop will be.

Harry Potter in the Library

Harry Potter in the Library

 

In 2021, due to demand for an event similar to our annual children's Harry Potter celebration, we invited grown-up Harry Potter fans to compete in teams for the "Try-Wizard Cup"!

Look out for dates for the next Harry Potter Celebration on our Event Calendar, Facebook page, or sign up to our newsletter, ePaanui, for updates.