News Blog @ Wellington City Libraries

Next time you return books, DVDs or CDs at Central Library, you’ll notice a difference.  There are now two slots for returns: one for AV items and one for books.  If you’re keen to receive a receipt for your returns, there will soon be a self-return machine.

If you need to talk to a librarian about your card, including paying any overdues, please ask the staff at the  Information or Issues desks.  You can also query your card online at www.wcl.govt.nz/card to check what you have on loan or if you have any overdue fees.

The recommendation for this change was contained in the Long Term Council Community Plan which Councillors approved on 30 June 2009.

As part of our Summer in Wellington series, Wellington City Libraries have been visiting Zealandia – the Karori Sanctuary. This the first video of four, taking place outside the Visitor Centre, in the bag check area.

Want to know more? Check out these titles:

1. Invaders, by Nic Vallance & Rod Morris (about pests in New Zealand)
2. Know Your New Zealand…Birds, by Lynette Moon (Reference only)
3. Know your New Zealand…Insects & Spiders, by John Early
4. Know your New Zealand…Native Plants, by Lawrie Metcalf
5. Know your New Zealand Trees, by Lawrie Metcalf
6. The Chatham Islands: heritage and conservation
7. Little Barrier island: New Zealand Foremost wildlife sanctuary
8. Living like Ed, by Ed Begley, Jr. (dealing with sustainable living)
9. Wasted: save your planet, save your cash
10. Green Greener Greenest (dealing with being ‘green’ around the house)

Today, in the first of the major entertainment award ceremonies of 2010, the ever popular Mad Men won best drama TV series and the 2009 hit, Glee, won best comedy series.  James Cameron’s Avatar - partially made in Wellington – and The Hangover were the winners in the Best Film categories, with Cameron winning best director.

In the TV series (Drama) category,  Dexter wasn’t entirely shut out of the awards with Michael C Hall and John Lithgow (series 4 villain) winning best actor and best supporting actor respectively. Meanwhile, The Good Wife’s Juliana Marguiles won the best actress (drama) category and Big Love’s  Chloe Sevigny was thrilled to win best supporting actress – though annoyed that her dress had been stood on by the stage chaperone.

Comedy series favourite 30Rock won best supporting actor for Alec Baldwin who sadly couldn’t attend – meanwhile his colleague Tina Fey lost out to Toni Collette who won best actress for The United States of Tara.

Rounding out the main award winners, with an amazing retrospective of his work, was  Martin Scorsese – winner of the Cecil B. De Mille award.

Keen for more details?  Full details of the winners can be found on the Entertainment Weekly website.

Samuel Johnson is best known for his dictionary of the English language but little is known about his background. Plagued by illnesses and poverty he was unable to continue his studies at Oxford but still achieved wealth and fame never forgetting his humble beginnings. Throughout his life he helped others in need. Samuel Johnson: a life by David Oakes fills in the gaps of this fascinating man.

In Hanuman’s hands: a memoir follows the path taken by author Cheeni Rao. Family tradition and expectations meant a life as a celibate priest but he left to pursue higher education. Instead of achieving this goal his life turned into violence and drugs. Read about the slow progress of recovery through rehabilitation in a half-way house. 

The Pilgrimage, The Alchemist and The Devil and Miss Prym are just a few titles of the internationally known author Paulo Coelho. Books are translated into other languages, as well as adaptations for stage, musical and dance theatre, puppetry and even opera. A warrior’s life: a biography of Paulo Coelho by Fernando Morais took many years to research this prolific author and is the first authorised biography.

Enjoy these titles and others including the life of Sofia Tolstoy, Dorothea Lange and Tom Burns in this month’s Biography Recent Picks.

Miep Gies, who helped Anne Frank hide, died January 11 at the age of 100. She was the last survivor of a small group of people who helped the Jewish family hide from the Nazis during World War II. It was Miep who found Anne’s diary after the family’s hiding place was discovered and they were deported to concentration camps. She never read the diary and kept it for safe keeping and handed it to Anne’s father Otto after the war.

Ada Nally, WCL’s Multicultural Customer Specialist said on hearing of Gies’ death

I will never forget my school trip as a ten year old to the secret annex. Anne’s description of her hiding place came alive as we passed the bookcase which hid the staircase leading to Anne’s living areas. The pictures of famous Hollywood movie stars at that time are still on her bedroom wall. I have read Anne’s diary several times and still prefer to read it in Dutch.

Did you know that the most popular tourist attraction in Amsterdam is not the museum, the canals or dare I say the red light district? It is the Anne Frank museum.

The Anne Frank exhibition will tour New Zealand this year, starting at Te Papa in February. For more details: www.annefrankexhibition.co.nz

Anne Frank’s story to the world is a warning of the dangers of anti-Semitism, racism and discrimination, and is an assertion of the values of freedom, equal rights and democracy. Wellington City Libraries holds several copies of the diary and other books about Anne Frank, including Anne Frank Remembered by Miep Gies -  click on the links to the left for details.

March 21 is Race Relations Day and Wellington City Libraries will host a festival of cultures at Johnsonville library, book displays and continue with Earth People at several libraries. For more information visit our Earth people blog in February and March. The theme this year is: “It’s About Us: Whanau”.

New Zealand publications start 2010 off well, with a collection of new books available for you to borrow. Our selection is good for you if you are interested in NZ politics and the place of women, the 100 best New Zealand movies, and New Zealand folk songs and stories. Read about the Warriors celebrating their fifteenth birthday and the Order of St John being one hundred and twenty five years old. And if you are interested in BEST OF’s, don’t miss the Dom Post’s photographs and the NZ Geographic’s. Check these books out and more in this month’s New Zealand Recent Picks.

When the attack on the World Trade Centre occurred Elizabeth Turner was seven months pregnant and her husband was in a restaurant at the top of the towers. He had no chance of survival and her world totally changed that day. The blue skies of autumn: a journey from loss to life and finding a way out of grief is her story of how she reshaped and rebuilt her life with her son William.

Our mood affects both ourselves and others in many ways. Mood mapping: plot your way to emotional health and happiness by Liz Miller is a self-help guide to improve low moods, low energy and prevent mood swings. By mapping and tracking moods it leads to understanding and the ability to be in control helping to feel happier.

Peta Mathias is best known for her cooking skills but has turned her hand to reviewing the sexes. In her first book ‘Can we help it if we’re fabulous” she focused on women and has followed up with Just in time to be too late: why men are like buses. Looking at what it means to be a man in the 21^st century she ponders on some questions - what makes men cry, what is the point of sport, why do men lie and many more. Find the answers – all from her unique perspective.

Read these books from this month’s Personal Development Recent Picks including about the principles of success, self-worth for women, liars and mega thinking.

Here’s a list of the ten most checked out audiobooks in 2009:

1. Journeys in English
2. Twilight
3. After the Quake
4. Absurdistan
5. 25 things to Say to the Interviewer, to Get the Job You Want
6. The Power of Now
7. The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid
8. Sideways
9. A History of Britain, vol. 1
10. Iced

Check out our Downloadable Media ’s page on our website to find out about all the other audiobooks you can download for free!

Following on from Loani Prior’s first book Wild tea cosies comes Really wild tea cosies featuring 20 new and quirky patterns. Even novice knitters can enjoy creating something that will bring a smile to the face of any tea-drinker.

Half of the food in North America and Europe is thrown away while there are almost a billion people hungry. With one tenth of greenhouse gas emissions created through producing food that will never be eaten it is a serious global issue. Waste: uncovering the global food scandal by Tristram Stuart discusses not only the problems but how this issue could and should be rectified.  

The real Ministry of Food: thrifty wartime ways to feed your family by Jane Fearnley-Whittingstall follows the principles of doing more with less. With increasing obesity and decreasing financial security feeding the family can be both economical and healthy by taking advice from another generation.

A mixed bag in this month’s Buyers Choice Recent Picks with food, cosies, Tuscany, the C.I.A and English country homes to enjoy.

Our new Design books will keep you occupied this month and give you a buzz of inspiration and creativity! We have available two British magazines: Computer Arts Project and Computers Arts magazines. Also in our selection: a book dealing with Charley Harper (the unconventional American illustrator), graffiti in New York, and a guide about modern wallpaper. If you want to know what other books are in store, check out this month’s Design Recent Picks.