Te Pātaka Open Day returns on 8 December: Stock up on your holiday reading

Shelves at Te Pātaka

Our Te Pātaka Collection and Distribution Centre houses Wellington Central Library’s collection, and for one day only you can visit, browse and borrow!

Photo of our Te Pataka warehouse team, waving hello

Looking for some special holiday reading? Want to delve into a topic more deeply? Or maybe you’re interested in finding the perfect gem?

We’ll be opening our Te Pātaka Collection Centre to the public for a pre-holiday exploration. You’ll be able to browse and borrow books from all parts of our off-site storage lending collection, including:

  • Fiction, including classic literature, mysteries, sci-fi
  • Non-fiction – small and large books on all your favourite topics
  • Biographies
  • Large print
  • World languages
  • Graphic novels
  • Teen fiction, non-fiction and graphic novels
  • Children’s fiction, non-fiction and comics
  • Picture books
  • Other collections such as scores, songbooks, car manuals, DVDs and CDs.

Books will be issued for 6 weeks. We can’t wait to see you!

Spots are limited and visits are restricted to one hour, so bookings will be essential — book your slot below!

Details:

What? Te Pātaka Open Day

Date: Friday 8th December 2023

Time: Five one hour slots available — 11am-12pm, 1-2pm, 2-3pm, 3-4pm, 4-5pm

Location: Johnsonville (details on registration)

Book your spot now!

Diwali Celebration at Newtown Library! Wednesday 1 November

Join us for a special Diwali celebration at Newtown Library!

We’re hosting a family storytelling event, with guest author Rajorshi Chakraborti reading their favourite stories about Diwali. Learn how to drape a sari and pose in our themed photobooth! Join us at Newtown Library on Wednesday November 1st, 3:15-5pm to celebrate Diwali.

This is a free, family-friendly event- bring your elders and your kids!

Event on Facebook

Rajorshi Chakraborti was born in Kolkata and grew up there and in Mumbai, and now lives in Wellington with his family. He has published six novels and a collection of short fiction, and his latest work is a novel for young readers co-written with his daughter, Leela, and it is called – The Bad Smell Hotel. You can find out more about Raj’s books at www.rajorshichakraborti.nz.

Te Ruahinetanga: World Menopause Day 18 October

Te ruahinetanga | menopause transitions are highly individualised experiences that are often surrounded by social stigmas. Menopause and peri-menopause symptoms can occur in a wide and diverse range of ways that can affect a persons quality of life in vastly different ways. World Menopause Day is celebrated every year on October 18th to raise awareness and encourage the sharing of experiences and knowledge to help reduce stigma around this natural stage of life. 

We’ve created a reading list that includes a selection of new titles and popular staples, exploring both personal experiences and medical know-how. Browse through our  Te ruahinetanga | Menopause list on Libby, which includes eBooks, eAudiobooks and Magazines on the topic. And since this year’s theme is Cardiovascular Disease don’t miss our upcoming free Heart Health Check at Kilbirnie Library.

For further online information check out the Australasian Menopause Society, who provide access to resources that aim to bridge the gap between healthcare providers and people experiencing menopause, ensuring accurate and evidence-based information is available to the wider community. You can also download their printable infographic poster in both English and te reo Māori. New Zealand Family Planning also provides helpful advice for managing symptoms of menopause, and information on treatments and clinics available across Aotearoa. 

Spread the word, begin a conversation with a loved one or deepen your knowledge through our reading lists to help de-stigmatise te ruahinetanga | menopause today.

Reading List

The M word : everything you need to know about the menopause / Kaye, Philippa

“The menopause does not have to mean the end of your libido, of sex, or of feeling like yourself. The M Word is a complete guide to the perimenopause and menopause, covering everything from symptoms to treatments and lifestyle advice. With a positive and uplifting tone, this book will help you not just survive, but thrive through the menopause.”(Adapted from Catalogue)

Continue reading “Te Ruahinetanga: World Menopause Day 18 October”

Capital Crimes: Karori Mystery in the Library, 1 June

Are you a fan of mysteries?

The Ngaio Marsh Awards, in association with Wellington City Libraries, invites booklovers to a fun evening of criminally good conversation featuring four talented Kiwi storytellers.

Two-time Ngaio Marsh Awards finalist Charity Norman chairs a panel discussion with Wellington authors Jennifer Lane, Helen Vivienne Fletcher, and Alistair Luke on how they craft memorable characters and page-turning storylines.

WHEN: Thursday 1 June 2023

WHERE: Karori Library, 247 Karori Road, Wellington

WHEN: 6pm

This is a free event.

Charity Norman is the author of seven novels, including World Book Night title After the fall and past Ngaio Marsh Awards finalists See you in September and The secrets of strangers. Born in Uganda, Charity worked as a lawyer in northern England before immigrating to New Zealand in 2002.

Helen Vivienne Fletcher is a playwright, poet, writing teacher and children’s author. She’s been shortlisted for the Joy Cowley Award, and was named Outstanding Young Playwright at the Wellington Theatre Awards. Her first YA novel was a finalist for the 2018 Ngaio Marsh Awards.

Jennifer Lane is a copywriter, short story writer, and author. Her short stories have been published in journals and magazines in New Zealand and Australia. Jennifer’s debut novel, All our secrets, won the 2018 Ngaio Marsh Award for Best First Novel. Her latest novel is Miracle.

Alistair Luke is a Wellington architect and debut novelist with a passion for our capital city’s history. A fourth-generation Wellingtonian, his first novel One heart one spade is an historical police procedural set locally in the late 1970s. Below is a selection of titles from the authors involved available to borrow from the Library.

Please note we expect this event to be very popular and seating will be on a first come first served basis.

For further details of the Ngaio Marsh Awards visit their Facebook page here.

Facebook event click can be found here.

 

And don’t forget to check out our second Ngaio Marsh Awards event later in the month:

Culprits in the Capital – Newtown Mystery in the Library

Friday, 9 June 2023, 6-7:30pm
Featuring Brannavan Gnanalingam, Kirsten McDougall, Rodney Strong and Anne Harre.

 

The secrets of strangers / Norman, Charity
“Five strangers, one cafe – and the day that everything changed. A regular weekday morning veers drastically off-course for a group of strangers whose paths cross in a London cafe – their lives never to be the same again when an apparently crazed gunman holds them hostage. But there is more to the situation than first meets the eye and as the captives grapple with their own inner demons, the line between right and wrong starts to blur. Will the secrets they keep stop them from escaping with their lives?” (Adapted from Catalogue) Also available as an eBook.

See you in September / Norman, Charity
“Having broken up with her boyfriend, Cassy accepts an invitation to stay in an idyllic farming collective. Overcome by the peace and beauty of the valley and swept up in the charisma of Justin, the community’s leader, Cassy becomes convinced that she has to stay. As Cassy becomes more and more entrenched in the group’s beliefs, her frantic parents fight to bring her home – before Justin’s prophesied Last Day can come to pass.” (Adapted from Catalogue) Also available as an eBook.

Miracle / Lane, Jennifer
“Born in the middle of Australia’s biggest-ever earthquake, Miracle is fourteen when her world crumbles. Thanks to her dad’s new job at Compassionate Cremations — which falls under suspicion for Boorunga’s spate of sudden deaths — the entire town turns against their family. She fears for her agoraphobic mother, and for her angelic, quake-damaged brother, Julian. When Oli plays a cruel trick on Miracle, he sets off a chain of devastating events. Then her dad is arrested for a brutal attack. How can she convince the town of her dad’s innocence?” ( Adapted from Catalogue)

All our secrets / Lane, Jennifer
“A girl called Gracie. A small town called Coongahoola with the dark Bagooli River running through it. The River Children – born in the aftermath of the infamous River Picnic. They begin to go missing, one after another. Gracie Barrett is the naively savvy spokesperson for her chaotic family, for the kids who are taken, for the lurking fear that locks down the town and puts everyone under suspicion. Coongahoola is where hope and fear collide, where tender adolescence is confronted by death, where kindness is a glimmer of light  in the dark.”(Adapted from Catalogue)

Broken silence / Fletcher, Helen Vivienne
“A stranger just put Kelseys boyfriend in a coma. The worst part? She asked him to do it. Seventeen-year-old Kelsey is dealing with a lot an abusive boyfriend, a gravely ill mother, an absent father, and a confusing new love interest. After her boyfriend attacks her in public, a stranger on the end of the phone line offers to help. Kelsey pays little attention to his words, but the caller is deadly serious. Suddenly the people Kelsey loves are in danger, and only Kelsey knows it. Will Kelsey discover the identity of the caller before its too late?” (Adapted from Catalogue)

One heart one spade / Luke, Alistair
“Wellington, December 1977. Felicity Daniels is missing, and a murdered drug dealer has complicated things for Detective Lucas Cole. Around him the Criminal Investigation Branch starts to unravel. As the questions surface, Cole starts to wonder if one of their own is responsible. New bonds form, and old ones wilt under the pressure. Facts become fictions and fictions become facts, the most trusted becoming the most likely. With his own relationship on the rocks, Lucas is led down a path he might regret as he negotiates the personal and the professional to find both Felicity and his own soul. One Heart, One Spade is a compelling crime story about family, love and loss in 1970s New Zealand.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

New Zealand Music Month at Wellington City Libraries…

It’s New Zealand Music Month we’ve planned a few community performances at both the Johnsonville and Tawa Libraries to help celebrate local music — find links to each event on Facebook below. Nau mai rā tātou katoa – everybody is welcome!

New Zealand Music Month logo - May 2023

Community Performances at Johnsonville Library

Waitohi Kindy Choir – Wednesday 10 May, 3:15pm

Come to the library terraces and enjoy hearing well-known action songs, waiata and rhymes sung by the children attending the Waitohi Kindergarten, accompanied by librarians on guitar and ukulele.

Floyd Marsden and Cian Ye – Friday 12 May, 4pm

Floyd Marsden and Cian Ye take to the library terraces to perform a smooth blend of their original rock/pop songs using instruments and equipment from the HIVE recording studio.

Jack Hooker plays guitar – Saturday 13 May, 11am

Jack is a local composer and acoustic guitarist who will be performing a set of original instrumental acoustic guitar music. Expect intricate fingerpicking, tapping techniques, and open tunings in an expansive style that draws from diverse worldwide influences.

Richard Prowse: ‘Big and Little’ solo double bass and violin – Wednesday 17 May, 3:30pm

Expect to hear a double bass / violin repertoire containing original compositions, a bit of jazz, a little bit of country and a smidgeon of classical.

Swing Club Ukulele Music Group – Wednesday 24 May, 3:30pm

Swing Club Ukulele Music Group is a community group who meet weekly at the Collective Hub in Johnsonville Road. They use music to promote wellbeing amongst their members and their performance group “The Hot Tubs” regularly play at public events. Expect to hear hits old and new so bring your dancing shoes!

SoundsWell Singers Neurological Choir – Wednesday 24 May, 3:30pm

SoundsWell Singers is a singing group for people with neurological conditions including (but not limited to) Parkinson’s Disease, Huntington’s Disease, Aphasia post-stroke and early Dementia. It is co-lead by two NZ Registered Music Therapists, with input from a Speech Language Therapist. It has a dual therapeutic focus, looking at both the physical and emotional health of those involved. Come and enjoy some old favs and toe-tapping new songs. You’ll be blown away with this choir’s joy, harmony and fun factor!

Ethan ‘Ziggy’ Morrison guitar performance – Wednesday 31 May, 3:30pm

This set comprises just Ethan and his trusty guitar performing some covers and a few original songs. Expect to hear some Ben Harper, Leonard Cohen, Arctic Monkeys and some originals in there too.

Community Performances at Tawa Library

Gemma Nash and Marianne Wren Violin Duo – Monday 8 May, 3:30pm

Enjoy a musical conversation between violins. Expect to hear some classics played in a fun and vibrant way, incorporating both dualling violins and some guitar accompaniment.

Wellington Red Hackle Junior Pipers – Thursday 11 May, 4pm

Listen to junior members of this Tawa-based pipe band bring their unique and distinctive bagpipe sounds to the library!

Sue’s Classical Mash-up – Tuesday 16 May, 3:30pm

Classical Mash-up is a fusion of well-known and not so well-known classical pieces and Sue’s own musical response to them playing keyboard or guitar, or sometimes both!

Richard Prowse: ‘Big and Little’ solo double bass and violin – Saturday 20 May, 11am

Expect to hear a double bass / violin repertoire containing original compositions, a bit of jazz, a little bit of country, and a smidgeon of classical.

Prog Folk with Pat – Tuesday 23 May, 3:30pm

Hear a combo of original numbers and covers of electric folk/prog tunes from the 1960s and ’70s. Featuring acoustic and electric guitars, mandolin, and assorted wind instruments.

Hoot ‘N’ Annies brass street band – Saturday 27 May, 11am

The Hoot ‘N’ Annies are an all-female brass street band playing funky tunes in a New Orleans style.