News Blog @ Wellington City Libraries

Featuring alchemy, monsters, Pink Floyd, war stories and more.

Unknown Soldier [1] : haunted house / Joshua Dysart, writer ; Alberto Ponticelli, illustrator.
“Aa compellingly original war story, Dysart and Ponticelli introduce an unlikely antihero: Dr. Lwanga Moses, a Harvard-educated African whose philanthropic visit to a Ugandan refugee camp takes a nightmarish turn. One day while Moses and his wife, Sera, are treating maimed children, the doctor suddenly snaps, running into the jungle and shooting a rebel soldier responsible for a child’s injury. But the soldier is also a child, and the guilt-ridden doctor tries to destroy his anger by mutilating his own face. After a nun nurses him back to health, Dr. Moses becomes a gun-toting, bandaged-face bodyguard for Uganda’s orphaned children, protecting them from government soldiers and guerillas alike.” (adapted from Booklist review)

Stop forgetting to remember : the autobiography of Walter Kurtz / Peter Kuper.
“Based (very loosely) on cartoonist Peter Kupers real life, this novel tells the story of his alter ego Walter Kurtz, who is struggling through what has been ominously warned will change your life: the arrival of his first child.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

We kill monsters [1] / story, Christopher Leone & Laura Harkcom ; writer, Christopher Leone ; pencils, Brian Churilla ; inks, Hilary Barta & Brian Churilla.
“Two unassuming auto repair shop owners are thrown into the role of hunters when a giant monster leaps from the shadows and infects Jake’s arm. Now requiring “monster juice” to survive, the brothers must become hunters and town-savers as the monster infestation grows.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Festering romance / Renee Lott.
“Janet’s been friends with Paul since they were kids. The only problem is, Paul is corporeally challenged. Ghostly puppy love might be enough for Paul, but when Janet meets the (alive) man who just might be the one, her phantom doesn’t take it well. Then, when Janet finds out that the guy of her dreams has his own skeletons in the closet, their fledgling romance is hit hard. Will love overcome death? Or will their pasts haunt them forever?” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

The alchemist : a graphic novel / Paulo Coelho ; [adapted by Derek Ruiz ; artwork by Daniel Sampere and others].The Alchemist
“This is Paul Coelho’s second novel, which has been a global best seller. The story seems like something from the land of Scheherazade, told by one lover to the other in postcoital bliss, all with the outward simplicity yet deep resonance that is common to fables.  Beneath this novel’s compelling story and the shimmering elegance with which it’s told, lies a bedrock of wisdom about following one’s heart.”  (adapted from Syndetics summary)

The Pink Floyd experience / Spike Steffenhagen & Jay Allen Sanford, writers ; Ken Landgraf, penciler.
All five issues of the Rock ‘N’ Roll Comics series The Pink Floyd Experience have been out of print and in demand for over fifteen years. As showcased in Pink Floyd’s own official box CD set Shine On, the Floyd comics chronicle rock’s most enigmatic, psychedelic warriors, from their early days with stoner icon Syd Barrett, through their split (and later reformation). With art by Marvel and DC star Ken Landgraf (Wolverine, Hawkman, Nightwing & Flamebird), this collection also includes updated material, bringing the saga up to 2010. (Amazon)

West coast blues / adapted by Jacques Tardi from the novel by Jean-Patrick Manchette ; [edited and translated by Kim Thompson].
“Nominated for two 2010 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards: a savage noir thriller reuniting a master crime novelist and a superlative French cartoonist. George Gerfaut, aimless young executive and desultory family man, witnesses a murder and finds himself sucked into a spiral of violence involving an exiled war criminal and two hired assassins.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

It’s the last day of the holidays!  Today there are these events happening:

Khandallah (11am-12pm):  Simple science: Awesome DIY experiments.

Wadestown (2-3pm):  Meet the Mad Scientist.
Come and join a real live scientist doing crazy science stuff.

Brooklyn (2-3pm):  Seashore Science
We don’t sell seashells by the seashore but our rock pools teem with life galore. Come to the library to find out more!

We’ve been getting a whole lot of new zines in over the last couple of weeks. These are a few we’ve enjoyed reading over the Easter break. Available in the zine collection now!

Spoonful: A Happiness Companion, edited by Thea

Spoonful is a lovely little zine from Australia. It is a little bit of a lot of things – crafting, good thoughts, inspiration, short stories, objects of affection and tea! – “happiness in a spoonful” as they say. We have issues 1-4 in the zine collection now, issue 4 just hot off the press. See more of what Spoonful is about on their website. (Steph)

King Cat comics and stories, by John Porcellino

I’ve been hearing good things about King-Cat comics for a while now and after reading issue 70 I can say that it’s all true. Issue 70 is filled with many little moments from John’s life that everyone can relate to – visiting the dentist, drinking, a day in the suburbs, remembering high school hijinks etc. I think he must keep a little journal of all the amusing things that happen to him because a lot of the stories are drawn over a year after they happened. Find out more about King Cat comics and stories here. (Steph)

7,000 year of African Art, by Duncan Vahid McNaughton

A few weeks ago I found a really beautiful book about African art at the library. I realised how little I know about African art. I find myself mainly exposed to a very Western focused approach to art. There are not that many other options really, except for a few old school Art books that explore tribal art from Africa and other exotic destinations. Duncan Vahid McNaughton’s zine celebrates African art in a very distinctive and innovative way: black and white collages. His zine is beautifully assembled; it is indeed a fine piece of art. These collages make me remember how much more I would like to learn about African art and culture in general, and how I would like to incorporate it to my everyday life. Duncan’s zine is truly inspiring as well as visually pleasing. (Carlita)

Extra Curricular, edited by Ellie Smith (Perhaps more of a magazine than a zine? Fine line I’d say, but we’re calling it a zine because we desperately want it in our collection!)

There is only one thing to say about this gem – L.O.V.E. Oh something more? Well Extra Curricular is a tri-annually published Auckland zine “for and about people getting creative with their spare time”. Does it sound like you? Perhaps? Well once you read Extra Curricular you will be so full of inspiration that you will quite possibly spend the evening looking up pottery classes on the internet or pulling out that old bag of wool and knitting needles hiding behind your yoga mat in the wardrobe. We got issue 5 in the mail last week and it is a beauty with a featurette on ceramics, a visit to a lovely vintage and handmade goods store, an article about mad keen crafters going the distance for thier craft, an interview with the wet hot beauties (a synchronised swimming group) as well as all the usual recipes, fashion and how to projects. Visit the Extra Curricular blog to find out more . (Steph)

Queen Mother Adventures, nos 1 & 2 with bonus Kate Middleton in her own words comic, by David O’Connell

This is a very topical little comic right now isn’t it? Well I have a fondness for the royal family so these comics by David O’Connell were right up my street as they say. The Queen Mother is depicted as a gin drinking, horse betting, corgi loving sweetie who manages to get herself into some unusual situations –involving the seedy side of Soho, and royal ghosts! As an added bonus you will learn some interesting royal facts too. Very funny and much recommended. (Steph)

Every year thousands of avid readers and music lovers gather at Wellington Central Library for the May book sale. And judging by its past popularity, this sale should be no different.
Past buyers have used the sale to find the best book deals, to complete their personal collections or just to rummage and find a gem. And the sale helps our libraries by making room for an ever increasing collection.

The sale includes books, CDs, cassettes, DVD, magazines and journals on every topic imaginable. Stock is being replenished at regular intervals during the sale ensuring there are always fresh bargains to be found. And they really are bargains – prices start from 50 cents for magazines, with most other items between $1 and $6 and some marked prices.

If you love a bargain, you won’t want to miss it.  The booksale starts 9.30am, Tuesday 3 May.

I wanted to share 3 books I have come across recently. They are a treasure trove for crafters and creative people in general.

The first one, 75 Birds, butterflies & little beasts to knit and crochet is a delight to flick through. Armed with this wonderful book, you can create an entire natural world out of yarn. Who wants to knit scarves and sweaters when you can create apples and flowers, mushrooms and snails? A shear delight!

Paper Illusions is about the creations of artist Isabelle de Borchgrave, who makes  exquisite historical costumes out of paper. The book is luxurious and the models are set in grand period decor. Well worth a look.

And as it happens, Isabelle de Borchgrave is also the subject of an article in the latest issue of Ornament Magazine and one of her works features on the cover.

The last book, simply called Papercraft,  is a collection of paper creations from many contemporary artists. The book is teaming with amazing visuals of all types. The inventivity of the works displayed is mind boggling and awe inspiring. I think I might go and buy myself a copy. I will find it very difficult to share this book.

Interested in researching your family history?
From time to time we’ll be posting genealogy facts and advice here on the News Blog.
For other blog entries on genealogy, click on the tag “genealogy” at the bottom of this post.

Australians and New Zealanders know ANZAC day – 25^th April – as a national day of remembrance to honour members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who fought at Gallipoli in Turkey during World War I.

Did you have a relative who took part in WW1? Would you like to read their Military Personnel Record?

Military records can provide amazing details for genealogists, especially ages and places of birth, while they can also expand family histories with information about campaigns, conduct and even physical descriptions of ancestors.

(more…)

New Zealand material added to our collection this month includes, “In search of ancient New Zealand” where geology meets detective work. Plus, David Cohen researches the lives of those who lived in children homes in his new book “Little criminals: the story of a New Zealand boy’s home”, and Ian Dougherty introduces us to a New Zealand folk hero in “Arawata Bill”. In “Only the Houses Remain” Simon Boyce looks into the history and development of New Zealand State Housing. Have a browse!

In search of ancient New Zealand / Hamish Campbell & Gerard Hutching. In this wonderful book palaeontologist Hamish Campbell and natural history writer Gerard Hutching present an exciting new account of New Zealand’s evolution aimed at the general reader. For the first time the story of the 8th continent – Zealandia – is revealed. From 3-billion-year-old grains of sand found in present-day rocks, through the momentous breakaway from Gondwanaland to the drowning and uplift of New Zealand giving rise to today’s landscapes, this new book traces our absorbing geological story. The book is brilliantly illustrated. Photographs of fossils, rocks and the current landscape are linked to outstanding state-of-the-art digital imagery from the files of the New Zealand Institute for Geological and Nuclear Sciences. (Library Catalogue)

Little criminals : the story of a New Zealand boy’s home / David Cohen. From the late 1950s to the mid 1980s, when most of them were closed down, the New Zealand government maintained 26 residences for children and teenagers. Some of those children had the bad fortune to come from families with large numbers of children and who couldn’t cope financially. Plucking a child out and putting him in a home to ease the burden was seen as a solution. Other children in came from profoundly dysfunctional backgrounds or were profoundly dysfunctional themselves. Could putting them all together in close quarters, supervised by staff with mostly inadequate training, ever deliver a positive outcome? In this powerfully written book David Cohen, who himself spent time at Epuni Boy’s Home in the 1970s, argues not. He tracks down former residents and staff members, many of whom argue that boys’-home stints led boys to, rather than away from, lives of crime. It also led some into abuse. Evocatively and originally written, Cohen’s research takes him back to the era of moral panic about juvenile delinquency that drove the creation of the homes and traces the sea change in ideas about the care of troubled adolescents, especially Maori, who were hugely over-represented in the muster, that spelled their eventual demise. Totally gripping, it is a unique insider account of a failed experiment. (Library Catalogue)

Arawata Bill : the story of legendary gold prospector William James O’Leary / Ian Dougherty. Arawata Bill (1865-1947) was a pioneering New Zealand folk hero. He spent decades in the unforgiving mountain country of North-west Otago and South Westland, prospecting for gold and other minerals and making new tracks in unexplored areas. His astonishing feats of endurance and tenacity, coupled with his charming eccentricity, have captured the imagination of generations of New Zealanders, and Denis Glover immortalised him in his famous poem, ‘Arawata Bill’. This new edition of Ian Dougherty’s landmark biography includes information about O’Leary’s life that has only recently come to light. (Library Catalogue)

Only the houses remain : the demise of the state housing scheme in New Zealand / S.A. Boyce.
“The essays in this book examine the State Housing scheme as it was set up in the 1930’s, progressed in the 1940’s, and the policies that dismantled the original scheme in the 1950’s”–Back cover.

Whaikōrero : the world of Māori oratory. , by Poia Rewi. (2010)
Anyone welcomed onto a marae will understand that whaikōrero – oratory – is at the heart of Māori culture. Based on broad research and oral information from leading exponents of whaikōrero, Poia Rewi explains whaikōrero’s origin and history, structure, language and style of delivery, who may speak and where speech happens. The book represents kuia and koroua from Tūhoe, Ngāti Kahungunu, Te Arawa, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Awa, Waikato-Maniapoto, Te Whakatōhea, Ngāpuhi and Ngāti Whare. Whaikōrero provides quality examples for learners wishing to improve their whaikōrero skills and offers fascinating insights to general readers. (drawn from the publisher’s description)

Māori and Parliament : diverse strategies and compromises, edited by Maria Bargh. (2010)
New Zealand is the only country in the world where the Indigenous people have particular electorates that represent them and where they can choose to be on a general or Māori electoral roll. Throughout history, Māori parliamentarians have looked to foster unity across party lines while still supporting different political loyalties.
Politicians, former parliamentarians, academics and political commentators discuss behind-the-scene deals, pragmatic acts with far-reaching consequences and blunt trade-offs. Their insider stories, frank admissions and humorous anecdotes provide new perspectives on New Zealand’s political arrangements. (drawn from the publisher’s description)

Ka mate ka ora! : the spirit of Te Rauparaha, by Hēni Collins. (2010)
“Describes Te Rauparaha’s life from the time his birth was foretold, through inter-tribal conflict, migration, settlement in the south (Kapiti Island), and into the period of colonization…
Reappraising original material, including sources in te reo, Hēni Collins enlivens events and adds cultural under­standing and authenticity to a dramatic story of Aotearoa New Zealand.
Ka Mate, Ka Ora! The Spirit of Te Rauparaha includes comments by kaumātua Te Puoho Kātene and other tribal members, and an epilogue by former Māori All Black Norm Hewitt. New maps show the location of significant sites, and an appendix details their history and what can be seen there today. (Drawn from the publisher’s description)

The Treaty of Waitangi companion : Māori and Pākehā – from Tasman to today / edited by Vincent O’Malley, Bruce Stirling and Wally Penetito. (2010)
“The signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840 has profoundly shaped relations between Māori and Pākehā in New Zealand from the New Zealand Wars to the 1975 Land March, from Kīngitanga to the Waitangi Tribunal, from Te Whiti to Don Brash. Sourced from government publications and newspapers, letters and diaries, poems, songs and cartoons, this book introduces the many voices of that relationship over the past 200 years. The Treaty of Waitangi Companion is an important book for students and general readers alike. (Drawn from the publisher’s description)

Pounamu : the jade of New Zealand , by Russell Beck with Maika Mason ; photography by Andris Apse. (2010)
Through the eyes of pounamu specialists Russell Beck and Maika Mason, we explore jade’s powerful connection with the natural environment, its Māori myths and history, jewellery and taonga, geology and technical characteristics, places where pounamu is found, methods of working, cultural issues regarding the ownership and management of jade as a resource, contemporary carving, and its significance in the international arena.
The text is enhanced by the exquisite, timeless landscape photography of Andris Apse, which sets pounamu firmly in the South Island mountain environment from which it emerges in its natural state… (drawn from the publisher’s description)

The East Coast settlement report, WAI 2109, Waitangi Tribunal. (2010)
The East Coast Settlement Report is the outcome of an urgent Waitangi Tribunal hearing held in Wellington between 14 and 16 December 2009 into the Crown’s recognition of Te Runanga o Ngati Porou’s (TRONP) mandate to negotiate and settle all historical Ngati Porou Treaty of Waitangi claims. The Tribunal panel comprised Judge Craig Coxhead (presiding), the Honourable Sir Douglas Kidd, Kihi Ngatai, Tania Simpson, and Basil Morrison.

AME year 11 Te Reo Māori workbook : NCEA level 1, by Wiremu Doherty. (2010)
A write-in workbook covering all Achievement Standards for NCEA level 1 Te Reo Māori.

The Wairarapa ki Tararua report, Waitangi Tribunal. (2010)
v. 1. The people and the land — v. 2. The struggle for control — v. 3. Powerlessness and displacement.

Māori art market 2009, by Toi Mā Aotearoa. (2009)
Māori Art Market 2009 will be the biggest single collection of contemporary Maori art ever assembled at one time … October 9, 10, 11 at the Te Rauparaha Arena and Pataka Museum of Arts and Cultures in Porirua City.

Autumn waiata, by Jeffrey Paparoa Holman. (2010)
Some of these poems have appeared in Kritya … others in the New Zealand listener.

Te hikuwai : launch yourself into te reo Māori : a complete foundation course for Aotearoa’s own language, by Ian Cormack. (2010)

Wiremu Pere : the life and times of a Maori leader, 1873-1915, by Joseph Anaru Te Kani Pere and others. (2010)

The passing world, the passage of life : John Hovell and the art of kōwhaiwhai, by Damian Skinner. (2010)

New Zealand racism in the making : the life & times of Walter Mantell, by Harry C. Evison. (2010)

Papers to conference. Volume two, A collection of new papers, by Peter Cleave. (2010)
Kōwhiti Matariki Festival of Māori Contemporary Dance (2010 : Wellington, N.Z.).
Contents : Said, heard, written, read — Starting points? A discussion of contemporary Māori society and culture — Review of Peter Jackson. A film-maker’s journey by Brian Sibley — Matariki 2010 — Review, Lisa Tomlins and Twinset, Downstage Sun 26th September 2010 — Restorative justice and the foreshore and seabed — Te takarepa o te wao.

Journal articles

Newman, Keith. Buildings at work : the founding of a faith : the buildings at Ratana Pa tell a story of cosmic proportions and are the legacy of a prophet, faith healer and visionary / words by Keith Newman ; photography by Grant Sheehan, in, New Zealand heritage ; Summer 2010. pp. 34-39.

Making a success of it’ : Robert Jenkins (1786?-1859), by Hilda McDonnell, in, Heritage link ; issue no. 90 (February 2011)

Kiwi lessons from iwi governance, by Whare Akuhata, in, New Zealand management ; vol. 58, no. 1 (February 2011) pp. 22-24

Lessons from the whale watchers, by Katherine Ryan, in, New Zealand management ; vol. 58, no. 1 (February 2011) pp. 26-29.

Interested in our previous picks? Previous Recent Pick edition

On Monday the 21^st March,  Kilbirnie library was a hive of stitching activity. We were very happy to host the Wellington Embroiderers’ Guild who embroidered in the Large Print section from 10am-2pm.  They chatted with our customers (some of  whom were ready and waiting when the library opened) about the projects they were working on, different embroidery techniques etc.

During the two weeks leading up to this event the Wellington Embroiderers’ Guild stuffed our display cabinet with an amazing and inspiring range of embroidery projects.  The nose prints on the glass we had to clean off daily is evidence of the popularity of their display.

We started the morning off with a Stitch-a-Story preschool storytime where the children were entertained by the Sewing Box  Puppets who enacted the story of the brave little tailor.  Afterwards the Embroidery Guild’s youngest member, Remy Hollis (4) helped other young stitchers embroider a picture onto a piece of plastic canvas.

I’d like to say a big thank you to the Guild for brightening our library and inspiring our customers.

A fantastic day was had by all.

On Saturday June 25^th Kilbirnie library will be having a KNIT-IN from 11am-3pm and we’d love to see you there.  If your knitting group would like to support the running and advertising of this event, could you please contact Anna at Kilbirnie library on 387-1480. We’d love to hear from you!

Here is a small selection of the new science books that have been added to our Science Collection since January. They are mainly Physics and Geology… but those are fun right?

Instant physicist: an illustrated guide
“Muller (”Physics for Future Presidents”) presents the best of the scientific curiosities he has assembled over his distinguished career. From the surprising (chocolate has more energy in it than TNT) to the scary (even kids can make a bomb), this book contains a revelation on every page. Illustrations.” (Syndetics summary)

Here on Earth : a new beginning / Tim Flannery.
“His most ambitious book so far … a twin biography, of humanity and the planet it inhabits, but that description is inadequate. Mr Flannery’s subject is the likely fate of humankind, and whether the powers granted to modern civilisation by science and technology will prove to be its downfall or its salvation … worth reading.” (The Economist )

Radioactive : Marie and Pierre Curie : a tale of love and fallout / Lauren Redniss.
“The name Marie Curie is enshrined in every schoolchild’s mind as one of the earliest and most inspirational female pioneers in the history of science. Yet the rich, vivid, and romantic story of Marya Salome Sklodwska – the young Polish national who discovered radioactivity – has been lost to time …until now, in the pages of this stunning, wildly creative, and uniquely moving visual biography by one of the most creative artistic talents working today. Lauren Redniss, a celebrated “New York Times” illustrator and storyteller, has thrown herself deeply and passionately into researching the story of the real Marie Curie; of her passionate and tragic romantic life; and, of the century of scientific innovation and controversy that sprang from her discovery of radium and went on to change the course of world history.” (Amazon.co.uk Description)

A photographic guide to rocks & minerals of New Zealand / Nick Mortimer, Hamish Campbell and Margaret Low.
“The twelfth book in the popular New Holland series examines New Zealand’s fascinating geology. Almost every kind of rock found on Earth can be seen in New Zealand, and most of the common minerals too. This handy reference guide will help you recognise and make sense of common (and some rare) rocks and minerals found on beaches and hillsides, in streams and elsewhere around the country.” (Amazon.co.uk Description)

The hidden reality : parallel universes and the deep laws of the cosmos / Brian Greene.
“The Hidden Reality reveals how major developments in different branches of fundamental theoretical physics—relativistic, quantum, cosmological, unified, computational — have all led us to consider one or another variety of parallel universe. In some, they are separated from us by enormous stretches of space or time, in others they’re hovering millimetres away, in others still the very notion of their location proves to be a concept beyond our reach. Most extraordinarily, Greene shows how all of these parallel universe proposals emerge unbidden from the mathematics of theories developed to explain conventional data and observations of the cosmos.” (Amazon.co.uk Description)