What’s on at the Library these holidays for children?

Helensville Library
Tuesday 3 July 10.30 am “The sun did not shine…” storytime
Thursday 12 July 10.30 am School holiday storytime and activity
Storytime for preschoolers will run as usual 10.30 am Mondays

Kumeu Library
Thursday 5 July 10.30 am “The sun did not shine…” storytime
Tuesday 10 July 10.30 am School holiday Storytime and activity
Storytime for preschoolers will run as usual 10.30 am Mondays

Mahurangi East Library
Tuesday 3 July 10.30am School holiday storytime and activity
Tuesday 10 July 10.30am Juggling Demonstration & stories

Warkworth Library
Wednesday 4 July 10.30am School holiday storytime and activity
Wednesday 11 July 10.30am School holiday storytime and games
Thursday 12 July 10.30am SKIP (strategies with kids) presenter
Storytime for preschoolers will run as usual on Mondays (10.30am) and Thursday 5 July at 10.30 am.

Wellsford Library
Thursday 5 July Get Crafty with Origami
Thursday 12 July Knitting for fun
Storytime for preschoolers will run as usual Wednesday 10.30 am

Orewa Library
Monday 2 July 2pm Storytime for 6 years +
Wednesday 4 July 2pm Storytime for 6 years+
Monday 9 July 2pm Storytime for 6 years+
Wednesday 11 July 2pm Storytime for 6 years+
Storytime and rhymetime for preschoolers will run as usual
Rhymetime 11 am Tuesdays Storytime 11 am Thursdays

Whangaparaoa Library and Service Centre
Check out our display of games, activity and craft books for more things to do at home
Monday 2 July 2 pm Learn how to knit or cross-stitch, play board games and cards
Wednesday 4 July 2 pm Join us in the children’s area for BINGO! Lots of fun and prizes for the winners!!
Friday 6 July 2 pm Learn how to play chess with Svetlana and have a go at other games and activities
Monday 9 July 2 pm Learn how to knit or cross-stitch, play board games and cards
Wednesday 11 July 2 pm Join us in the children’s area for BINGO! Lots of fun and prizes for the winners!!
Friday 13 July 2 pm Svetlana will be along again to teach you how to play chess. Have a go at other games and activities.
Storytime and rhymetime for preschoolers will run as usual
Storytime 11 am Tuesdays and Wednesdays Rhymetime 11 am Thursdays

What’s on at the Library for teens these July holidays?

Whangaparaoa Library and Service Centre
Tuesday July 10 from 6.30 Teen Xpo
Who’ll be there?
“Underground Skate” With an emphasis on snowboarding for the winter months ahead, for guys and girls.
“Unique Design” hairdresser demonstration for guys and girls
A Beautician demonstrating skin care for guys and girls
“Feed Me Right” author Tamarin Pigneguy taking a practical session on making quick, easy and pizzas for the starving teenager, for guys and girls

Orewa Library
Friday 13 July @ 6:30pm Abstraxt hairdresser demonstration for guys and girls

Kumeu Library
Thursday 5 July @ 6.30 pm Teen’s evening

Mahurangi East Library
Tuesday 3 July Teen afternoon
Tuesday 10 July Teen afternoon

Warkworth Library
Friday 6 July 5 – 6.30pm Teen Evening
Friday 13 July 5 – 6.30 Black Friday Teens

Being energy wise

With sunny days compensating for cold nights, winter has finally arrived. If you're concerned about keeping your electricity bill down while staying warm have a look at the EECA Energy Wise website. They say "Being energywise means improving your quality of life by promoting warmer, drier homes and better personal transport choices." There are ideas on saving money, keeping warm and an energy saving calculator.

"Invisible Prey" by John Sandford

"Invisible Prey" by John Sandford

In the richest neighbourhood of Minneapolis, two elderly women lie murdered in their home, killed with a metal pipe, the rooms tossed, only small items stolen. It is clearly the random work of someone looking for money to buy drugs. But as he looks more closely, Davenport begins to wonder if the items are actually so small or the victims so random. Gradually a pattern begins to emerge, and it leads him to... certainly nothing he ever expected.

Question four, book four - Harry Potter competition

Here's the fourth question of the Harry Potter competition. It's not too late to pick up an entry form.

" What is the name of, and the incantation for, the spell that Harry uses in task one?"

The answer can be found in book four "Harry Potter and the goblet of fire"

Good luck Emirates Team New Zealand

Racing starts this Sunday morning. Here's hoping they have better weather than we have. :)

SURVEY - Homebound delivery service

Rodney Libraries is investigating a home bound delivery service across the district. This service is for customers who are unable to visit the library due to illness, disability, infirmity or other reasons. Some libraries in Rodney already provide this service and we would like your opinion on developing it.

There is a form with three questions available in the libraries or via our website.

We need to receive your feedback by Friday 20 July 2007.

Thank you for telling us what you think. Your opinions will help shape the future of Rodney Libraries.
If you have any questions about the survey please contact your local library

Express Select collection

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned Express Select. This is a cool new collection available at Orewa and Whangaparaoa Libraries.

The collection has magazines for $2 and popular book titles for $5 for a week issue. There's no reserve queue and no waiting around - if the item is on the shelf you can take it.

It's fantastic for picking up something to read over the weekend or for getting the latest release from a popular author. There are different titles at Orewa and Whangaparaoa so if you don't like one selection try the other.

Feedback about the collection is always welcome so it stays relevant to your needs. Let us know if you think a title should be in there.

Great NZ Digi-Poem Competition 2007

"Put your imagination and design skills to work and be part of New Zealand's first-ever digi-poem competition!


To celebrate Montana Poetry Day, Friday 27 July 2007, the New Zealand Electronic Poetry Centre (nzepc), in association with Auckland University Press (AUP), is seeking the best digital transformations of poems by six well-known New Zealand poets.

The six competition poems are drawn from AUP's Contemporary New Zealand Poets in Performance, the second of AUP’s popular CD-with-book anthologies of poets in performance, which will launch on Poetry Day this year.

AUP's landmark anthologies get people listening to poets as well as reading their texts. nzepc wants to extend the experience by asking innovative digital artists around the country and around the world to transform poems for presentation on the World Wide Web using audio, visuals and/or animation. "

(From the website)

Pulitzer Prize 2007, Fiction winner

"The road" by Cormac McCarthy.

A father and his son walk alone through burned America. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape save the ash on the wind. It is cold enough to crack stones, and when the snow falls it is gray. The sky is dark. Their destination is the coast, although they don’t know what, if anything, awaits them there. They have nothing; just a pistol to defend themselves against the lawless bands that stalk the road, the clothes they are wearing, a cart of scavenged food—and each other.

Also nominated as finalists in this category were: "After This" by Alice McDermott and "The Echo Maker" by Richard Powers.

http://www.pulitzer.org/

Question three, book three - Harry Potter competition

Here's the third question of the Harry Potter competition. Get into your local Rodney Library to pick up an entry form and be in to win!



" What are Remus Lupin, James Potter, Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew’s nicknames?
What magical object did they create?"

The answer can be found in book three "Harry Potter and the prisoner of Azkaban"

Matariki Festival starts today

"Matariki is the celebration of Maori New Year (Tau Hou). In Auckland, this is celebrated with the month long Matariki Festival, which in 2007 will be from 15 June - 15 July.
This festival and programme of events embodies the way Maori commemorate and celebrate this ancient tradition within the context of contemporary city life in Tamaki Makaurau, Auckland.
The programme encourages social gatherings (Whakangahau) and provides the need for public education (Matauranga) about what Matariki is. The range of events celebrate the natural world and heritage (Taiao) and presents the creative energy of visual and performing arts (Nga Toi)."


(From the festival website.)


The events are all over the Auckland area, some are free and some have a nominal cost. There are exhibitions, arts and crafts events, fishing trips, movies and more. You will need to make bookings for some of them.


My pick is the Matariki breakfast on 23 June at the Stardome. More details can be found on the Stardome website.

Bridge to Terabithia released today

The movie is based on Katherine Paterson's "Bridge to Terabithia". It tells the story of a boy in rural Virginia who becomes friends with a newcomer. They find a magical land called Terabithia. Filmed in and around Woodhill forest, it features children from the local school.

The New Zealand Herald has a couple of articles - an interview with some of the teenage Kiwi cast and an interview with Weta Digital who created all the magical characters. The official movie companion is available from the library.

The movie is rated PG.

"Ghostwalk" by Rebecca Stott

"Ghostwalk" by Rebecca Stott

"The son of a reclusive historian finds his mother's drowned body in the tributary of the River Cam that runs through her garden. She is clutching a glass prism. Elizabeth Vogelsang's magnum opus, a book on Isaac Newton's alchemy, is incomplete. Lydia Brooke, a writer friend of the dead historian, returns to Cambridge to the funeral. It is five years since she has seen Elizabeth's son, Cameron Brown, with whom she has had an intermittent love affair that began some fifteen years earlier. Cambridge, she discovers, is in the midst of an upsurge of attacks by animal rights extremists, an unidentified group called NABED. Cameron, who, as a neuroscientist uses animal experimentation, has been targeted. Cameron asks Lydia to act as a paid ghostwriter in the completion of his mother's book, Alchemist. Lydia agrees to the proposal and moves into Elizabeth's strange house, a triangular shaped studio on the banks of the Cam. Soon Lydia finds herself entangled, not only with Cameron, but also with a four-hundred year-old murder mystery, a network of 17th century alchemists and a ghostly figure intent on disrupting her work."

Winter is here

Finally, winter has arrived. Farmers and those relying on tank water will be pleased.

What will the weather do over the next few days? The Metservice can give us some idea. There are all sorts of nifty things on this site - Marine and Mountain forecasts, Ski Field reports and Wind Chill information.

Former MetService chief meteorologist Augie Auer died suddenly in Melbourne last night. Stuff.co.nz and the New Zealand Herald have stories.

Storylines roundup

This is from a staff member who went to the festival as a volunteer.

'Storylines Festival Family Fun Day was a wonderful day again with plenty to do and see. The trick was deciding where to go and when, as there were always 6 things happening at the same time all day. There is always a great atmosphere at the Family Day and the people who attend appreciate it. There was lots for the kids to do, as well as see. Margaret Mahy still received the most attention from children and parents wanting to meet the great lady. The overseas authors were also popular especially Shaun Tan.
My author was Catherine Hannken, author of "Sefalina". Catherine is a teacher and she had organised a group of Samoan girls to dance at the launch of her new book "Fiapule" which really added to the event. I didn't get to see much of the other happenings as I was with my author for the day but everyone I spoke to enjoyed the day. It's well worth looking out for every year.'

Question two, book two - Harry Potter competition

Here's the second question of the Harry Potter competition. Pick up an entry form
from your local Rodney Library.

" Where is Harry when he first hears the voices?"

The answer can be found in book two "Harry Potter and the chamber of secrets".

Reminder - events on for parents and children

Today from 6pm at Orewa Library a S.K.I.P. (Strategies with Kids; Information for Parents) co-ordinator will be talking about 'Being a supportive parent.' If you want some advice on dealing with your children as they start to become more mobile or if you want ideas on how to help them through situations come along and ask.

The Storylines Festival of New Zealand Children's Writers and Illustrators 2007 is on June 5-10. There are a couple of free family fun days on at the Aotea Centre this weekend. Events include author talks, demonstrations, arts and crafts, performances, storytelling - really there is much to much to list it all. You can download the programme from here.

Have a great weekend whatever you are doing.

Congratulations Team New Zealand

The race for the Louis Vuitton Cup is over in a decisive fashion. If you've been following the action (or will start now they're at the business end *smile*) you could have a look at these websites for more information.

Emirates Team New Zealand official website Lots of good information about the team including videos, articles, photos etc. What will they do during the wait for the start line? How will they keep fit?

32nd America's Cup Official Website Track the race, see how various people fit into the history of the Cup, find out about the venue, have a look through the AC-clopaedia.

If you'd prefer to read about them, the library has a small selection of resources covering past races.

Mayor's Reading Challenge entries must be in tomorrow

Tomorrow is the last day to get your entries for the Mayor's Reading challenge into the library. Don't miss out!

Newspapers online

Did you know that the newspapers we subscribe to are very often available online too? For example, the New Zealand Herald or a variety of newspapers on Stuff.

Other newspapers from around the world can be found via Online Newspapers.

Question one, book one - Harry Potter competition

Just in case you couldn't get into a Rodney Library on the weekend, here's the first question of the Harry Potter competition. You can pick up an entry form from any Rodney Library.

" What does Professor McGonagall turn into and how do we identify her?"

The answer can be found in book one "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone".

Add your name to the reserve list for "Bad luck and trouble"

"Bad luck and trouble" is the latest Jack Reacher book by Lee Child. Reserve your copy today!

If you are at Orewa or Whangaparaoa you might be lucky enough to see it on the Express Select shelves - only $5 for a week.

What's on this week?

On Friday at Orewa Library at 6pm a S.K.I.P. co-ordinator will be talking about 'Being a supportive parent.' S.K.I.P. (Strategies with Kids; Information for Parents) is a service of the Ministry of Social Development. You can pick up their pamphlets in the library or read them online here.

The Storylines Festival of New Zealand Children's Writers and Illustrators 2007 is on June 5-10. You can see what is happening in the Auckland area during the week or check out the free family fun days at the Aotea Centre on the weekend.

Catalogue unavailable Sunday night

The library catalogue will be unavailable from 6pm Sunday 3 June to 7am Monday 4 June.

Montana Book Award finalists announced

The finalists in the Montana New Zealand Book Awards 2007 have been announced.

Categories include 'Fiction', 'Poetry', 'Biography', 'History', 'Illustration', 'Environment', 'Lifestlye and Contemporary' and 'Reference and Anthology'. There are also awards for the 'Best First Book' in Fiction, Poetry and Non-fiction.

Have a safe long weekend

The Mayor's Reading Challenge has officially finished. Get your entries in to your local Rodney Library by Friday June 8.
You could win this very cool bike!

Next week is a short week as we will be closed on Monday 4 June for Queens Birthday. Mahurangi East Library will also be closed on Sunday 3 June.