University of Canterbury vs University of Otago

The UC Library was first established at Canterbury College in 1879. Today there are three libraries on campus each covering different subject areas.The Central Library has collections of over 2 million physical items including books, archives, journals and a miscellany of other items that support research and teaching in Humanities, Social Sciences, Law, Commerce, Music, Fine Arts and Antarctic Studies. The Macmillan Brown Library is a research library, archive, and art gallery that specializes in collecting items related to New Zealand and Pacific Islands history. It holds over 100,000 published items including books, audio-visual recordings, and various manuscripts, photographs, works of art, architectural drawings and ephemera. The Macmillan Brown Library's art collection also has over 5,000 works, making it one of the largest collections in the Canterbury Region.

The University of Otago has ten libraries: seven based in Dunedin on the main university campus, the education library in Southland, plus two medical libraries in Wellington and Christchurch. The Central Library is part of the Information Services Building and has over 2000 study spaces, 130 computer terminals, and laptop connections at 500 desks. It has Te Aka a T?whaki, a collection of M?ori resources, and the Special Collections consisting of about 9,000 books printed before 1801. In total, the Central Library has over 800,000 print and electronic materials relating to the arts and humanities, commerce, education, physical education, social sciences, and technology.

With a population of around 385,000, Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island and the second largest in the country. It is currently undergoing a major rebuild and is in the process of transforming itself into one of the world’s most modern and sustainable cities. It is also New Zealand’s most affordable major city.

Christchurch is the second major business centre in New Zealand and, as the national centre of Information and Communications Technology (ICT), it has quickly become known as New Zealand’s digital city. It is a leading centre for innovation, research and technology, and home to New Zealand’s largest ICT industry cluster. Key business sectors include engineering, biotechnology, avionics, electronics, software engineering, agriculture, education, forestry, nutraceuticals, Antarctic research and tourism.

Dunedin’s catch phrase ‘a great small city’ is highly accurate. For a city of 133,300 it has array of things to do and places to go, the quality of public services is remarkably high. It’s safe, with crisp, clear air and beautiful sunsets. You can sometimes catch a glimpse the southern lights (Aurora Borealis) from the city’s hilltops and admire albatross rising from Otago Peninsula. 

The city is home to New Zealand’s only covered multi-use sports and entertainment stadium, drawing in world class musical, sporting and social events. Indoor and outdoor sports facilities abound and Dunedin’s founders had the foresight to design a winding Town Belt of parks through the city’s hill suburbs, making it easy to be active and to spot wildlife on the wing.

Dunedin’s coastline has dozens of quiet bays, many of which are great swimming or surfing spots, and it’s not unusual to have a whole beach to yourself. As the ‘wildlife capital of New Zealand’ you won’t have to go far to spot some of the country’s rarest creatures, including the yellow-eyed penguins and sea lions that reside here.

The local geography and culture make it a mecca for water sports, rock climbing, golf and surfing.

It is also the gateway to Central Otago, New Zealand’s leading tourist region, so weekends in the mountains are just a couple of hours drive away.