technology

Click, Make, Build and Create during the School Holidays

admin 2 Comments

Children#27s events image SMALLStart planning now because the next school holidays are not very far away at all!

During the October Holidays Wellington Libraries will be running lots of free, fun activities around science, technology and engineering.

Have a go at some new apps and tech, build something amazing, create a video clip… and more! It’s all free, and perfect for 6-12 year olds.

 

 

Here’s the when and where:

School Holidays Image WORDS ONLY

Island Bay Community Centre: Wednesday 30 September, 1pm

Johnsonville Library: Wednesday 30 September, 2pm

Ruth Gotlieb Library (Kilbirnie): Thursday 1 October, 2pm

Newlands Community Centre: Tuesday 6 October, 2pm

Karori Library: Tuesday 6 October, 10am

Central Library: Wednesday 7 October, 11am

Mervyn Kemp Library (Tawa): Thursday 8 October, 11am

Newtown Library: Thursday 8 October, 2pm

Download and keep Horrible Histories magazine for free

admin

We know you all love Horrible histories, and now you can download the magazine for free through our website. Best bit – you get to keep them!

Zinio is where you can download heaps of magazines -it’s a bit like eBooks, but with magazines. There are heaps of cool international and New Zealand ones to chose from – sport, cooking, movies, music, pets, science and technology, and more. Take a look!

Here’s where you’ll find the Horrible Histories magazine.

Be a conservation hero!

wcl staff

habitat the gameThe Department of Conservation has launched the New Zealand version of a fun app-based game for smart phones called “Habitat the Game”. If you go around Wellington (Zealandia, Wellington Zoo, Island Bay Marine Reserve and many other places…) looking for New Zealand endangered animals you will learn more about them and you might help them survive.

Real life actions combined with fun in-game missions!

As a bonus there is FREE entry for kids and the first 100 adults at Zealandia on Saturday 4th October from 11am to 3pm for the launch of this game. There are prizes to be won too!

 

App-tastic!

admin

Did you know that Wellington City Libraries has an app that you can download? We’ve called it WCL Mini, because it’s cute and little and fits in the palm of your hand, but there is also so much you can do on it:

  • check the catalogue
  • check your library account details to find out about your loans and reserves
  • “book look” – scan barcodes on non-library books (from a bookstore, or a friend’s collection for example) to see if the library has a copy
  • one-click access to OverDrive ebooks and mp3 audiobooks
  • locate the nearest branch to you – get directions or find out their opening hours and give them a call
  • keep up to date with our Facebook and Twitter feeds

 

 

Compatibility: The app is available for devices using the Apple iOs (iPhone, iPod touch, iPad) and Android operating systems. It’s also available for BlackBerry, J2ME, Palm OS, Symbian S60 and Windows Mobile.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Check out this post on how to find and download the app, then get those fingers tapping. Have fun!

New Non Fiction: Technological Trends, Old School Music and World Records.

Katie

Phew! Another term has ended and we are now entering the second week of the school holidays.  Luckily for you, Wellington City Libraries has stocked up on some new non fiction books to keep the boredom busters at bay. This month’s blog post introduces you to instruction manuals on how to use (and buy) technology wisely, a biography on The Beatles, a good old school rock band long before One Direction and the latest editions of Guinness World Records and Ripley’s Believe it or Not Special edition. Impeccable timing considering it is less than twelve weeks until 2013 draws to a close.

 

Cell Phone Safety.

Using technology like cellphones can be a blast. However it can also open doors to unsafe situations, like cyber bullying. Have no fear, Cell Phone Safety is here to help. This book will enable you to learn all the tech-savvy ways on how to keep your cellphone a safe zone, what you need to watch out for and how to protect yourself, without taking away all the fun. This book also has a great section on what to do when you fall victim to cyber bullying.

 

 

 

 

The True Cost of Technology: How to shop to change the world.

Have you ever wondered how your purchase of a cellphone, computer or iPad might effect people around the world, especially if you find out the keypad of your shiny new computer was made by child workers in China? This book will make you think twice about the technology you buy. You will read and find out how the things we buy and use every day are produced, often at a cost to workers’ health or the environment, and discover how you can shop to change things for the better.

You also might be interested in reading The True Cost of Fashion, The True Cost of Food and The True Cost of Toys.

 

 

The Beatles were fab (and they were funny).

Move over One Direction and Justin Bieber, it’s time for a biography on a good old school rock band that is enjoyed by all generations. This biography is an  introduction to the rock band The Beatles and their rise to fame.  This book presents a lively, whimsically illustrated tribute to the Fab Four’s offbeat humor that traces the rise of Beatlemania and the influence of their humor on their musical achievements. This book complemented with the best singles of the Beatles and is an excellent way to teach children about good music.

 

 

 

 

Ripley’s Believe It or Not Special Edition 2014.

As 2013 is drawing to a close, Ripley’s Believe It or Not has another special edition for 2014! This edition presents a collection of strange facts and coincidences about animals and human beings in the worlds of science, art, and entertainment. Would you believe there is a cat with two faces?, A swimmer who can do the backstroke and juggle three tennis balls at the same time?, and shoes with more than 1,000 teeth on the soles? Check out the book if you don’t believe it.

 

Also check out Ripley’s Believe It or Not Special Edition 2013.

 

 

Guinness World Records 2014.

Want to read a book about  where you encounter the largest living cat in the world that eats meat the same weight as a two year old child, go for a ride on the world’s largest pogo stick and meet the largest walking robot? Then the wait is over. If you enjoyed Guinness World Records 2013, then you will absolutely love Guinness World Records 2014. This book contains more than 1,000 photos and fully updated information on amazing facts and world records. Read all about the world’s largest rideable bicycle,  deadliest spiders, snakes and scorpions, find out whether Batman, Spider-Man or Iron Man is the highest-grossing superhero ever and celebrate over 20 years of “The Simpsons”, the longest-running animated sitcom.  Overall this book is awesome and then some! You can also download the FREE Augmented Reality app to see records come to life in amazing 3D.

 

Animal Record Breakers.

Want to read about the freakiest, biggest, smallest, fastest, slowest and deadliest animals know to man? Then check out Animal Record Breakers. From man-eating sharks to snakes that grow longer than buses, read all about these extreme creatures that roam the land, swim in the sea, and fly in the sky, and fascinating facts about each one accompany cool CGI art that really brings each animal to life, such as poisonous fish and frogs, monkeys that break into song (duets) in order to find each other and the world’s largest butterfly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Odd Stuff: Hot chip vending machine

admin

Belgium has long claimed their fries (which they call frites) are the best in the world and now they can prove it with the first ever vending machine that cooks you yummy hot fries.

We’ve all seen the usual vending machines that have drinks, chocolate and junk food in them, but imagine being able to get hot chips!

The machine fries the chips for you in 90 seconds in either vegetable oil or beef fat (the belgium standard), and you can even get a fork, and tomato sauce or mayonnaise on your chips.

One 135 gram pot of hot chips will cost your €2.50 ($4.20 NZ Dollars).

Hungry yet?

 

Calling all scientists!

admin

Have you heard about The Great NZ Science Project? Now’s your chance to get behind science and help New Zealand decide how we use it to invest in our future. Explore areas of interest and join the debate. The future of science in New Zealand is in your hands.

Important and leading NZ scientists have teamed up with our best free-thinkers -you guys, to figure out what science areas NZ should be focusing and spending our money on.

There are lots of ideas and projects suggested in the areas of

In each of these areas you can find out about what’s happening, what could happen in the future and why it’s important for scientists to work in these areas. There are heaps of facts and videos to watch. The videos are really cool, I reckon you should watch them.

Then you get to vote and write your opinion on whether you support science developments in these areas, which areas you think are most important and, coolest of all, you get to tell the scientists what you think they should be working on.

If you have an idea for a project for NZ scientists you can suggest it and you never know, an awesome scientist out there might think it’s a good idea and start working on it -Cool!

 

The Great NZ Science Project is on Facebook and Twitter for you to like, follow, post and comment.