COVID-19 coronavirus – keeping yourself safe

hand showing update sign

**If you do have concerns about your health in relation to COVID-19 please contact a health professional. For health specific questions, you can call Healthline directly on 0800 358 5453.

All libraries will be closed temporarily from Sunday 22 March to support efforts in reducing the spread of Coronavirus. 

Where to Find Good Information

Three health organisations who can provide authoritative information about COVID-19 are the New Zealand Ministry of Health, the World Health Organisation, and Wellington’s own Capital & Coast Health Board.

The Ministry of Health website is the definitive source of information in New Zealand and provides the latest updates, advice, and guidelines on symptoms, prevention, treatment, travel, home care, and self-isolation. The World Health Organisation has a very comprehensive and useful Q & A page covering wide-ranging topics related to Covid-19, and Capital & Coast provides practical information and guidelines on how you can look after yourself. It also provides a summary of their page in New Zealand Sign Language.

On this library website you can access a number of health and research databases with your library card that can help you to learn about COVID-19 and coronaviruses. Our online health resources include:

Gale Health and Wellness Resource Center: A consumer health resource providing authoritative information on a full range of health-related issues, from current disease and disorder information to in-depth coverage of alternative medical practices

Consumer Health: Health and wellness from mainstream medicine to complementary, holistic and integrated medicine, including a number of full text health magazines.

Alternatively, visit our Health online resources page for a list of all our recommended resources.

What you can do while your local library is closed, or you need to self-isolate

Your library card provides access to a great array of online resources. From film streaming to learning new skills, the resources listed below will help keep you entertained and informed. All resources have a Quick Start Guide and Help information so that everyone from beginners to digital natives can use them.

Beamafilm: Streaming film — over 500 international movies and documentaries, with a strong Australasian focus.

Kanopy: Streaming film — over 30,000 titles from around the world. Includes Kanopy Kids.

Libby: OverDrive’s new simplified site and app. Read and listen to  eBooks & eAudiobooks — over 50,000 titles available.

PressReader: Same day access to full-page replicas of newspapers & magazines from NZ and around the world in 60+ languages.

LinkedIn Learning: Unlimited access to over 12,000 online video courses — topics include IT, business, design & more.

RBdigital: Over 200 eMagazine titles for reading online or offline — across all genres.

Mango Languages: Learn over 70 new languages on the go!

Naxos Jazz Library: Streaming music — over 210,500 tracks of jazz from more than 17,930 CDs. Includes over 32,000 jazz artists.

For Kids and Teens

If you have children with you during self-isolation try some of these amazing online resources:

Story Box Library: Streaming story times — preschool & primary school age stories read aloud on video by amazing authors & storytellers.

Kids’ eReading Room: Overdrive’s Kids’ eReading Room — our main website filtered just for kids’ material.

Teens’ eReading Room: Overdrive’s Teen eReading Room — our main website filtered just for material for teens.