News Blog @ Wellington City Libraries

Matariki ahunga nui
Puanga kai rau

The Māori New Year has come upon us so very quickly! This year we have an exciting calendar of events planned across Wellington City Libraries and Wellington City Council, so read on!

If you have a smartphone, you can try out the Council Matariki app (for iPhone & Android) to see what’s happening. But if you still enjoy having a paper printout handy, then there’s also a printable outline of events, for events across the wider Wellington region.

Wondering what Matariki is? Many websites now set out the kaupapa of Matariki:

Here is our Wellington City Council kōrero, both in English and Te Reo Māori.

And for a website that covers all aspects of Matariki, try Kōrero Māori: Matariki

Wellington City Libraries are running a number of free events, so please check our Event Calendar for full details, but here’s a quick summary of what we’ll be up to to celebrate Matariki:

Miramar Library

13 June, 10.15 am

Come along for waiata and storytime in te reo with Suezanne Pohe

Ruth Gotlieb Library, Kilbirnie

13 June, 3.30 pm

Students of Kilbirnie School will be in the library performing kapa haka

Mervyn Kemp Library, Tawa

Monday 24 June, 10.30 am

Come along for a Matariki-themed preschool storytime

Karori Library

Friday, 28 June, 3.30-4.30 pm

We’ll be having Matariki stories, songs and activities for the whole family. Here’s a snapshot:

• Name or draw a star for our Matariki family wall
• Try raranga harakeke – make a flax flower
• Make and learn to play tī rākau – stick games

Central Library

12 June , 12.30-1.30 pm

Kōrero mō Puanga

Neavin Broughton will describe why Puanga, (Rigel of Orion’s Belt Constellation), rather than Matariki (Pleides) has become the focus of Taranaki, and northern iwi as they celebrate the Māori New Year.

Central Library

13 June, 12.30-1.30 pm

Meet the Voyagers

Ko Mātau Ngā Amotawa

Meet Reuben Tipoki (Ngāti Kahungunu), new Captain and experienced crew of Te Matau a Māui, along with other experienced voyagers, to share their stories of ‘The best and the worst of times’ experienced out at sea. And here’s a useful link for more information about this waka.

Central Library

22 June, 11-3 pm

Matariki Kotahitanga : A Family Fun Day with lots of activities!

See the Event Calendar listing for this event for a breakdown of what’s happening across this event.

Nau mai, haere mai

All welcome!

Escape the cold this winter and have fun playing games at the library!

On Wednesday evenings from mid-July to mid-August the Central Library will host the 2013 Winter Gamesfest. Enjoy a round of Wii, challenge your mate to a PlayStation tournament, have a go at some classic board games or cards. Come along, meet your friends and get gaming! You are also very welcome to bring in your own games.  See you there!

When?

5.30-8pm, Wednesday evenings from 17 July to 21 August

Where?

The Central Library, 65 Victoria Street, Wellington

FREE! No need to book, just come along – and bring your friends!

Join us for an early evening of poetry with ‘Poetic Voices of Africa’. Celebrating 50 years of the African Union, poets Samson Sahele, L.E. Scott, Tony Hopkins, Wanjiku Kiarie, Makuei Aken and Inshirah Mahal will perform on:

Tuesday 21 May, 5-7pm
Newtown Library (13 Constable Street, Newtown)

Wednesday 22 May, 5-7pm
Central Library, (65 Victoria Street, Wellington)

Entry is FREE and there is no need to book – just come along.

This event is part of the ACCW’s African Union celebrations throughout May, including Africa Day at Wellington Town Hall on Saturday 25 May. For more information and other event details visit africancommunity.org.nz

Do you enjoy eBooks? Do you regularly download titles from our Overdrive eBook Library? If you do, then take part in this month’s Overdrive Big Library Read!

What is this, we can hear you asking? Well, library users from all over the world (including many NZ public libraries) are downloading and reading the same title on Overdrive between now and 1 June (there’s no limit on who can check this title out — we have as many simultaneous checkouts as we need!).

The book is:

The Four Corners of the Sky, by Michael Malone. Here’s a summary, see what you think:

“Twenty years is a long time to be without a father, and, for Navy pilot Annie Peregrine-Goode, the sky has become a home the earth has never been. So when her father calls out of the blue to ask for a dying wish, one both absurd and mysterious, no is the easiest of answers. Until she hears that the reward is the one thing she always wanted.” (Drawn from Syndetics)

Overdrive Big Library Read is a pilot project, but we’re really excited to see it kick off.  So, if this inspires you, download the book and happy reading!

(Let us know what you think of it!)

Do you need funding for your community group, voluntary organisation, or club? The Funding Information Service is holding a free Fundview presentation at Wellington Central Library to show you how to find the best funding matches from over 1100 grants to pay for your:

• administration costs
• building redevelopment
• salaries and volunteers expenses
• equipment and furniture

Free to attend and no bookings required - just come along on the day.

Wednesday 29 May, 12-1pm
Wellington Central Library, 65 Victoria Street

Wellington City Libraries provide free public access to Fundview, anytime and anywhere you have internet access. More information is available on our Funding & Community page: enter your Wellington City Libraries card number and last name to access the database.

For locations and times of other Fundview presentations coming up in Hutt Valley and Porirua, please visit fis.org.nz

Same frequency, 783AM, great music, but small change in content and presenters. A big thank you to Mark, Monty and Neil for their enthusiasm promoting our wonderful CD collection over the past few years!  Saturday 16  March was the first of our 4 weekly new look show, although you can still listen to the podcasts on Access Radio.

On our new show (hosted by myself, Ada Nally), we play fantastic local and world music but also let you know what is new at the libraries and share services benefitting our migrant communities! This week our bilingual librarian Jinyun talks about part of our collection which may  of interest to our Chinese speaking community.

We are are also promoting a special celebration of Poetic Voices of Africa in honour of 50 Years of the African Union. Poets Samson Sahele, L. E. Scott, Tony Hopkins, Wanjiku Kiarie, Makuei Aken and Inshirah Mahal will perform at

Newtown Library Tuesday 21 May 5-7 pm

and

Central Library Wednesday 22 May 5-7 pm

Both events are free!

Journey with my shadow : a collection of poetry / Samson Sahele.
“Journey with my shadow” is a collecton of poetry that exposes the reality of Africa: the human rights violations, the killings and abuses, and the harassment by dictators.

Poems for Gwen / L.E. Scott.

Beyond the dark journey : short stories and poems by young refugees in New Zealand / [edited by Pauline Frances].

Every year thousands of avid readers and music lovers gather at Central Library for the May book sale. 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.

This sale includes more DVDs and music scores than ever before, along with the usual range of books, CDs and magazines on every topic imaginable. Stock is 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 book sale starts Tuesday 7 May , at 9.30am, Central Library.

Looking for fun for your kids these school holidays? Look no further – we have some awesome free activities planned. Here’s what’s happening:

Monday 22nd April:
10.30 am, Johnsonville Library: Join us for an interactive story-time where we read and act out ‘Down the Back of the Chair’ by Margaret Mahy. Take part in other ‘Kiwiana’ activities during this fun-filled hour.
11 am, Central Library: Wellington author and illustrator duo, Lucas and Jutta Chisholm will show off their latest creation and teach you how to draw and create your own character from the book. Prepare for hands-on fun with books, drawing and plasticine!

Tuesday 23rd April:
10.30 am, Ruth Gotlieb (Kilbirnie) Library:  Slip on your jandals and join us for holiday fun at the library to celebrate Kiwiana! We will be reading stories by New Zealand authors, playing New Zealand bingo, and holding a rock-stacking competition called Tu Kohatu. Sweet as!

Wednesday 24th April:
11 am, Miramar Library: Meet a tuatara! Sue Keall from Victoria University of Wellington is visiting with a living fossil – an amazing part of our country’s natural history. Learn how to protect them. Bookings essential – phone 388 8005

Friday 26th April:
11 am, Cummings Park (Ngaio) Library: Meet a tuatara! Sue Keall from Victoria University of Wellington is visiting with a living fossil – an amazing part of our country’s natural history. Learn how to protect them. Bookings essential – phone 479 2344

Monday 29th April:
11 am, Karori Library: Special Kiwiana story time. Come along for fun stories with a New Zealand twist.

Tuesday 30th April:
10.30 am, Newtown Library: Slip on your jandals and join us for holiday fun at Newtown Library to celebrate Kiwiana. We will be reading stories by New Zealand authors, playing New Zealand bingo, and holding a rock-stacking competition called Tu Kohatu.

Wednesday 1st May:
11 am, Mervyn Kemp (Tawa) Library: Meet a tuatara! Sue Keall from Victoria University of Wellington is visiting with a living fossil – an amazing part of our country’s natural history. Learn how to protect them. Bookings essential – phone 232 1690

Thursday 2nd May:
11 am, Central Library: What do ANZAC biscuits have to do with ANZAC day? What’s it like being a soldier away from home, missing your family, friends and favourite food? Explore the great ANZAC biscuit and its place in history.

Law for Lunch is going to the Karori Library this Wednesday, 3 April!

Kate Scarlet, a community lawyer and employment advocate at Community Law Wellington and Hutt Valley, will be covering:

• Employment Agreements
• Trial periods
• Wages, breaks, leave
• Dispute resolution: Solving problems at work
• Redundancy

This session is a perfect opportunity as an employee to ask your questions and get the information you need for a better understanding of the Employment Law related to sick leave, work breaks, bullying in the work environment or personal grievance and what are the alternative solutions.

And, if you are an employer, you can find out what you need to do to provide safe working environment and follow the right processes in  Employment Agreements.

The seminar will take place this Wednesday, from 12 noon to 1pm, at the Karori Library. All welcome!

For more information, please check our online event calendar

Welcome to the seminar of Law for Lunch at the Kilbirnie Branch Library!
Our speaker this week will be Kahureremoa Aki, Community Lawyer at the Community Law Wellington and Hutt Valley.

Kahureremoa Aki is the Rōia Hāpori (Community Lawyer) providing legal services to Māori at Community Law Wellington and Hutt Valley. She has helped many families with questions about social security.
Kahu will be focussing on:

• Youth and young parents
• Budgeting and incentives
• Being “work available”
• The DPB and children
• Social obligations
• Drug testing
• Penalties and exemptions

Come along to find out more about the Welfare Reforms and the changes, scheduled to come into effect this July.
Ask your questions about social obligations, dependent children and health issues, beneficiaries who refuse to apply for drug-tested jobs or any concerns you might have related to benefit reforms.

This presentation will take place this Wednesday, from 12 noon to 1pm, at the Ruth Gotlieb Kilbirnie Library.
All welcome!

For more information, please check our online event calendar