Mygateway subscription databases update

July is the time of year when Wellington City Libraries welcomes a new year of access to our subscription resources, which include research databases, language learning, Bridget Williams eBooks and the Naxos streaming music products.

Last year, for lovers of science and nature, we added the Smithsonian Collection, as well as the latest magazines and archived editions of National Geographic and National Geographic Kids. These are all available just by entering your library card details.

The business world was also represented with new access to The Economist Historical Archive 1843-2020.  For current digital editions of The Economist,  access became available earlier this year via PressReader in our libraries.

The availability of all these resources (and more) will continue for the coming year, and family historians will enjoy an expanded archive of British Historical Newspapers, with the addition of a new Irish newspaper archive from 1 July.

Sadly July 2023 will  see the end of access to one of our current databases.  With some regret, we are saying good-bye to the New Zealand Geographic Archive online.  Although digital access will no longer be available, library members will still be able to borrow current and past issues of New Zealand Geographic magazine from our libraries and reserve for free for pickup at any branch.

 

Exciting New Online Resources

July is the time of year when Wellington City Libraries welcomes new products into our range of online resources.

We’re very happy to announce that soon, you will see some brand new resources over a wide range of subjects and covering many years of great content.

For lovers of science and nature, we are adding the Smithsonian Collection, as well as the latest magazines and archived editions of National Geographic and National Geographic Kids.

Family historians will enjoy an expanded archive of British Historical Newspapers, including more titles and time periods.

And the business world is represented with new access to The Economist Historical Archive 1843-2020.

However, July will also see the end of access to some of our existing products.  With some regret, we are saying good-bye to Lingogo and the Vogue Archive.  Tumblebooks will end, but we hope our young readers will continue to enjoying using Storybox.  Oddizzi is also not being renewed, but we hope that National Geographic Kids will be a great source of education and wonder.

You can learn more about all the online resources available through Wellington City libraries on our website.  All you need is your library card!

Naxos Music/Jazz Library: Things you didn’t know you could do with your library card

“Having fun isn’t hard, when you’ve got a library card”

Arthur Timothy Read

 

Today, we’ll be taking a look at Naxos Music Library and Naxos Jazz Library. An online catalogue of > 2,000,000 tracks, featuring world music, Classical, jazz, blues, world music & more.

The oboe’s belting an A so let’s tune up and take a look at…

Three amazing things you can do with Naxos Music/Jazz Library

1. Create Playlists and Curate Your Favourites

If this is your first time using Naxos you’ll have to enter the site using our Wellington City Libraries’ website. Lots of our online services use a portal like this to verify that you have access to these services (don’t worry, we got you, all WCL’s online services are free for patrons). Just log in with your library card number and your four digit pin (the final four digits of the phone number we have on file for you (if you can’t remember what phone you put down on the form seven and a half years ago just get in touch and we can help you out)).

Now you’re on the Naxos home page, you’ll want to create an account so you can start saving playlists. To create your account click on “Playlists” down the left hand column. At the top you’ll see “Student/Member Account Login/Sign up”. Next, just fill out that form, verify your email and voila, you’re ready to start making playlists and adding tracks and artists to your favourites.

Also, once you have an account you’ll be able to log-in directly from www.naxosmusiclibrary.com. Although the portal is always there if you need it.

2. Listen to music on the go (and offline) with the Naxos App

Available on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store the Naxos Music Library app and Naxos Jazz Library app take Naxos music from your PC to your phone and on the go. Once you’ve downloaded the app to your device; log-in using the account you created above and you’re good to go. Plus, all the awesome playlists you’ve already made will be there waiting for you.

If you want to take your classical playlists to the park or your Christmas bangers to the beach, there is also the option to download tracks for offline listening. Just use the menu in the top right hand corner to download tracks and take your musical stylings out of Wifi range.

3. Listen to Awesome TV show and Movie Themes

We haven’t even got the chance to talk about all the awesome stuff there is on Naxos Music and Naxos Jazz Libraries (I mean there are over 2,000,000 tracks). Earlier in the year we put out an informative guide on how to keep up to date with all the new material being added but one of my favourite features is the huge amount of movie and TV themes available. From John Williams to Hans Zimmer (and the rest of the alphabet) and heaps of TV shows (including The Crown) there’re ready made playlists to transport you to any fictional world. I love using them if I want to capture a certain mood while I’m writing (for example this blog was accompanied by Gershwin’s An American In Paris, extra pep with a touch of whimsy).

If you have any further enquiries about Naxos Music Libraries or Naxos Jazz Libraries be sure to get in touch. Remember to have your library card on hand 😉

Story Box Library: Things you didn’t know you could do with your library card

“Having fun isn’t hard, when you’ve got a library card”

Arthur Timothy Read

Today, we’ll be taking a look at Story Box Library. Available from the eLibrary page on the Wellington City Libraries website, Story Box Library is an educational website, created for children with short videos of stories by local authors and illustrators, being read aloud by fantastic, predominantly Australian and New Zealand, storytellers.

Well, we’re all seated on the mat with our arms folded so it’s time to look at…

Three amazing things you can do with Story Box Library

1. Hear stories from your favourite performers and authors

Story Box Library features over a hundred charismatic and diverse storytellers. The storytellers on Story Box Library include actors, comedians, performers, AFL players, influencers, teachers and students from various races, creeds and walks of life.  Story Box Library is an awesome way for your little ones to hear from not just parents, guardians, teachers or librarians but a diverse range of storytellers and people.

2. Broaden the experience with Activity Time

Each Story Box Library video comes with its own activity sheet to deepen the story experience (and to help keep the kids occupied on rainy afternoons). Ranging from writing a news report on events in the story to drawing your own version of a character these are an awesome way to prompt deeper thought into the events and themes of a story. Each Story Box Library book also has tags to link it to other books with similar themes and ideas. Perfect for collating several books into a lesson plan or looking for books with a specific message.

3. Jump into the authors world with the “Meet” series

Would you love to know how your favorite author or illustrator works? The “Meet” series gives you a look inside their world to see how picture books are made. For young and old alike, they are a fascinating peek inside the process that turns ideas into books. In this video, we meet Tania McCartney, who feels most comfortable when in a library (!!).

So there it is! Story Box Library provides hours of wholesome, literary entertainment.

 

LinkedIn Learning: Things you didn’t know you could do with your library card

**UPDATE 10/02/2021 – Lynda.com is now LinkedIn Learning. Read more about the change.**

“Having fun isn’t hard, when you’ve got a library card”

Arthur Timothy Read

 

Today we’ll be looking at LinkedIn Learning. At a recent Technology NZ conference, an educational start-up owner refused to believe that we offered LinkedIn Learning to our patrons for free. Only when I pulled up the app on my phone did the skepticism cease. But who could blame them? The service -which offers video courses taught by industry experts in software, creative, and business skills- can cost up to $39.99 per month! And it’s available for free with your Wellington City Libraries card. *woof*!

Three amazing things you can do with LinkedIn Learning

1. Professional Development

HTML, Ruby on Rails, Photoshop, basic grammar. If you’re anything like me, then you know these things exist but have no idea how to use them. But LinkedIn Learning is here to help. Informative video tutorials on thousands of different topics to help you professionally. From coding to accounting there are heaps of skills that can go straight on your CV.

Many LinkedIn Learning tutorials even come with a download package so you can practice alongside the video. Working on your own spreadsheet while someone talks you step by step how to draw up formulas and graphs. Now that’s what I call learning!

2. Get a new hobby

Learning a new skill is the perfect way to keep your mind sharp and fight boredom. Instead of a sudoku or crossword, how about learning to code that idea for a game that’s been swilling around in your brain for years or perfecting your photo editing skills to take your social media to the next level. Who knows, your new found skills could even turn into a little side hustle.

3. Start a big project

Learning is a lifelong skill and LinkedIn Learning has plenty to keep you learning for years and years. Why not set yourself a big goal five, ten or even twenty years down the track?

Ever dreamed of making your own movie? With your library card and LinkedIn Learning you have access to tutorials on… *deep breath*… expressive and creative writing, editing, grammar, *ahem* overcoming writers block, screenwriting, 2D animation, 3D ANIMATION, film editing, voice recording, microphone use, music composition, music production, website design (for promotion), website coding and how to throw an awesome launch party for your premier (okay I made up that last one). Plus, ALL the above can be added to a handy playlist to keep you on track. Sure, it might be a few years long but as they say “good things take time”.

So what are you waiting for? There’s a world of learning right at your finger tips. If you have any further questions about LinkedIn Learning about  be sure to get in touch. Remember to have your library card on hand 😉

 

New for RBdigital in 2018

RBdigital

We have just renewed our RBdigital magazine subscriptions for 2018.  We always use this time as an opportunity to review our collection and look at what new magazines are on offer.  There’s always some cancellations too – either by us (due to performance), or by RBdigital as sometimes magazines are no longer available to renew (which is beyond our control).

This year you can expect to see five new magazines – UK House and Garden; Australian Men’s Fitness; Minecraft World, W magazine and New Zealand’s Metro magazine.
The titles that are no longer available are – Australian Rolling Stone; Australian Metro; Girlfriend; Horrible Histories, Vanity Fair and Renegade Collective.

All changes will kick off from March 1st, so expect to see the new magazines from then.  All back issues of the cancelled magazines will still be available to read and download for a while after that date.

If you haven’t used RBdigital before then now is the time!  They provide us with lots magazines that you can read for free and if you download them to your device you can keep them forever.  You can find the RBdigital homepage in our elibrary or through our Mygateway pages.  There’s a helpful userguide to get you started, all you’ll need is your library card.  The RBdigital app is available to download for free from the Play or Apple stores and it allows you to read magazines offline.  So check it out and if you need any help, pop in to your local library for assistance or fill out our technical support form to put you in touch with our elibrary team.