Location: Marlborough, New Zealand (situated at the top of the South Island)
Public Libraries: Marlborough Library + Art Gallery (Blenheim) – Te Kahu o Waipuna, and Picton Library and Service Centre – Waitohi Whare Mātauranga
Key Contact: Glenn Webster, Libraries Manager; Philip Manson, Facilities Coordinator
Project Focus: Three service desk installations across the Marlborough District Libraries network, 2023–2026
Products: 4 x 305 Radial Counters, 1 x 300 Cash Module and 2 x 300 Under Counter Storage Modules
Marlborough District Libraries is a longstanding Yakety Yak Customer; a look through the archives revealed their first order from us was in 2008! So it has been a pleasure to work with Glenn and Philip to supply an information desk and children’s area desk at Marlborough Library in Blenheim, and a circulation counter at Picton Library.
The Location
Marlborough District Libraries operates two public libraries: Marlborough Library + Art Gallery – Te Kahu o Waipuna in Blenheim, and Picton Library and Service Centre – Waitohi Whare Mātauranga (a smaller community library).
Marlborough Library opened in May 2023, following a $20 million redevelopment that doubled the footprint of the old Blenheim library, co-locating it with the Marlborough Art Gallery on a riverside site. The Māori name Te Kahu o Waipuna, gifted by mana whenua, means “the protective cloak of Waipuna.” Designed by Warren and Mahoney, the building has collected a string of architecture and design awards and become, in the words of Mayor Nadine Taylor, “a living space… a children’s space, an all-ages space, a future technology space.” Three years on, it is tracking around 300,000 visits a year (up roughly 50% on the old facility) and passed one million visits in mid-2026.
Picton Library and Service Centre, designed by Athfield Architects, serves a smaller, tight-knit community. It is a building with its own strong architectural character — full-height timber panelling, a mezzanine level, and beautifully designed joinery.
The Challenge
Shortly after Marlborough Library opened, Glenn approached Yakety Yak to order a 305 Radial Counter in finishes to match the furniture in their new facility. The desk was positioned near the entrance to serve as the WĀHI PĀTAI information point. Although it was the first new Yakety Yak desk installed in the freshly constructed building, some of our old style ‘classic pods’ had been repurposed around the floor.
Two of these ‘classic pods’ were deployed, along with a Yakety Yak 100 Work Module, as the service desks in the children’s area. While they served the team well when the building first opened, staff increasingly felt like they needed more workspace – a barcode scanner, receipt printer, monitor arm and keyboard all competing for space. A children’s area is invariably one of the busiest parts of a library, and they needed a solution that offered more space without compromising on flexibility.
At Picton Library, the existing circulation desk was a striking piece of joinery — curved copper cladding and a solid timber worktop that suited the building’s architecture. However, the staff who used the desk daily were finding that it didn’t quite meet their requirements. They put a lot of thought into identifying what the right solution would look like.
In both cases, the library teams needed desks that would:
- Improve health and safety for both staff and the public.
- Provide lockable, integrated storage for cash, equipment and stationery.
- Accommodate monitors, barcode scanners, POS terminals and receipt printers without visible clutter.
- Enhance security and give staff a clear physical boundary between their workspace and the public-facing counter.
- Adjust to suit the heights of both short and tall staff, and enable them to comfortably engage with users of all ages — especially at the children’s desk.
- Match or complement the existing colour and material palette of each site.
The Solution: YAKETY YAK service desks
The team at Marlborough Libraries found the perfect solution for all three spaces with our versatile YAKETY YAK 305 Radial Counter and compatible storage modules. The spacious curved worktop creates a designated space for staff to comfortably work, and the seated to standing touch-button height adjustability delivers a safer workspace and an enhanced customer experience. Our counters come in a wide range of colours and finishes, allowing the team to make selections that integrate seamlessly with the existing interiors.
- Marlborough Library — information desk (2023): A single YAKETY YAK 305 Radial Counter paired with an Under Counter Storage Module.
- Picton Library — main circulation desk (2025): Two YAKETY YAK 305 Radial Counters, one left-hand and one right-hand orientation, flank a central 300 Cash Module.
- Marlborough Library — children’s area desk (2026): A YAKETY YAK 305 Radial Counter, with a matching 300 Under Counter Storage Module, replaced one of the original ‘classic pods’ and 100 Work Module. The other ‘classic pod’ was kept in the space as a supporting desk.
Why This Configuration Works
Comfortable, inclusive workstations for staff and customers
Every counter installed across both sites adjusts from seated to standing height. This allows staff to adjust their workspace to the task, or customer, at hand. Blenheim’s Children’s Team especially appreciate this, as it enables them to work alongside young children rather than towering over them.
Improved storage and security enhance day-to-day operations
The 305 Counter’s generous 1935mm wide worktop provides plenty of room for all equipment while still leaving space to efficiently issue books.
Picton’s Cash Module is configured with shelves to house two cash tills and three locking drawers, so staff can easily handle both library and council cash transactions in the one workspace.
Defined staff and customer spaces
The curved profile of the 305 Radial Counter gently defines staff and customer zones, which is particularly important when managing cash transactions.
Consistent visual identity across service points
A sense of continuity is achieved through selecting three of the same counter models and repeating colour and finish choices across service points.
Design Details
Across the three installations, Marlborough District Libraries has used:
– Heavy duty white Optima Vinyl worktops throughout for durability.
– OAK panelling on the upper-body for all three counters.
– MEMPHIS BLUE on the lower panelling for the children’s area counter, to match with the existing ‘classic pods’ in the same space.
– PIXEL Power Buttons on all counters to provide staff with integrated power and USB access.
Flexible and Future-Proof
As Marlborough and Picton Library continue to welcome record numbers of visitors, the built-to-last and modular design of the YAKETY YAK range means these counters can be moved, reconfigured and adapted to suit whatever their next chapter of growth looks like.
Customer Feedback
Since installation, staff at both sites have shared their own reflections on the new desks:
“We wanted a service desk that reflects the professional library service we provide while creating a warm and welcoming experience for everyone who visits the library — this desk certainly delivers on those points.”
“The expanse of the desktop allows us ample workspace for efficient book issuing.”
“The height-adjustable design is a huge advantage — it gives staff flexibility and means we can comfortably engage with customers of all ages, especially our littlest readers.”
— Marlborough Library’s Children’s Team
“Defining customer and staff-only spaces was important to us; the new desks provide greater security for staff.”
“The desks are a pleasure to work at, working well for both short and tall staff alike.”
— Picton Library Team
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