Library card looks smart | Wairarapa News | Local News in Wairarapa

As the designer of the Smart card, Masterton's Rachel Raphael will have her artwork seen throughout the lower North Island.

The Sharing and Managing A Region Together (Smart) programme has combined the library catalogues of six districts in the lower North Island, and will allow users to borrow from any branch.

Miss Raphael, a library assistant, was approached to design the face of the card and spent hours researching and brainstorming ideas.

"The first thing you do when you're designing is going and getting as much research and ideas as you can," she said.

This involved spending hours trawling through art books, and even asking her colleagues to empty their wallets to analyse other cards.

She said most cards were multicoloured, which led her to decide the base of the Smart card should be white. Miss Raphael took inspiration from artist Saatchi, and after seeing a painting with black etching and gold designs, decided this would be the best palette.

"I just thought how elegant and simple it looked," she said.

The card features a photograph of the branches of a blossom tree in Library Square, and gold leaves have been placed on top.

This was to show the highways which would connect the couriers carrying boxes of books, and is almost a map of the towns involved. Miss Raphael said the importance of libraries was highlighted in her design, and it was great the branches can now share resources.

"It's a real treasure in our community," she said.

She completed her bachelor in visual art and design degree last year, and designing the Smart card was her first job in this field.

The card also has a snap-off key ring attachment. Users can sign up for the programme at Masterton District Library.