The Warkworth War Memorial Library, as we know it today, was originally known as the Mahurangi Library when “In 1859, nineteen men represented the embryonic library and most of these paid their subscriptions on July 1”. We know this from four exercise books which cover the first 55 years of it’s existence. Since then it has lived in private homes, the Town Hall, halfway up Church Hall, in a small cottage on Baxter Street (approximately where the Westpac Bank is now), in several buildings on Alnwick Street and finally back down to Baxter Street where it stands today overlooking the Mahurangi River. The photo on the left shows the library in the 1920's, beside the Town Hall of the time.

Mahurangi Library became Warkworth Town Library in 1914 and Warkworth War Memorial Library in 1961. This War Memorial status was transferred to the new building in Baxter Street when it was opened in 1994 and recently a rededication took place with a new Honours Board now in place.

From the beginning of the Library's history, a feature has been the longevity of librarians, staff and volunteers. Several Librarians have served over a decade and some much more including Harry Blomfield Moore (1904 - 1934), Shirley Roper (1956 - 1974) and Phyl Houston (1976 - 1993). One of the current volunteers, Lesley Coombes has been here almost 30 years.

The Library is having a cake cutting ceremony on Wednesday 1st July 2009 at 10am. Because of the ceremony and number of guests in the library, they will only be able to offer a restricted service from 9.45am until 11am (returns and Express or Self Checkouts only). We apologise for any inconvenience and thank everyone for their patience. The community is welcome to join us for this celebration.

New Blog on the Block

I was trawling the web waves today, looking for inspiration when an entry from Bookman Beattie (Graham to his family) jumped out advising that there was a new Kiwi Book Blog. So I went in search (which means that I hit the link that was kindly provided).


As a librarian you have to love a Blog with an entry that starts off "I love the way with libraries you go in there, drift around and often seem to arrive, as if with a sense of predestination, before a book. This book, once you pick it up - there’s something almost magnetic happening here - now opens at a particular page. It is all random - or else it is the magic which accrues to the long time searcher and reader."


The Blog is the property of Kiwi Peter Wells who "writes books and makes films.". He is also a co-founder of the Auckland Writers & Readers Festival. Check out his commentary on the PeterWellsBlog.

Are You Smarter than a Librarian?

Test yourself against the Warkworth Librarians on Wednesday Night 1st July. As part of our 150th Birthday Celebrations we have issued this challenge and will take on teams of up to 8 in the Masonic Hall from 7pm. The Trivia night will cover all the usual categories such as general knowledge, history, geography and sport, with an added round of local knowledge. There will also be novelty rounds.

Tickets are only $5 a person and available from the Warkworth LIbrary or phone Anne 094259803. Its BYO nibbles and drinks, but we will provide the fun and laughter.

Come along and see if you can win bragging rights over the librarians for the rest of the year.

Introducing Clifford

LOOK WHO IS COMING TO HELP WARKWORTH LIBRARY CELEBRATE THEIR 150th BIRTHDAY!!

Clifford the Big Red Dog has been around for as long as I have (the first books were published in 1963, so work that one out). The books were written by Norman Bridwell and Scholastic is the home of Clifford world-wide (including in New Zealand).

Clifford was the smallest of the litter. He was chosen by Emily Elizabeth as her birthday present and her huge love for him was what turned him into such a huge dog.

Clifford will be at the Warkworth Library pre-schoolers storytime on Monday 29th June and Thursday 2nd July at 10.30am (and you may see him around the library at other times as well). Get dressed up in your party gear. Bring your camera and get your photo taken with Clifford. There will be stories, songs, colouring in and party food. It's all part of Warkworth Library's 150th birthday celebrations. Come along and join in the fun.

Save our Libraries

It is a Catch-22 situation. As economic belts are tightened, there is a smaller pool of dollars to keep Public Libraries around the world running. At the same time, that same economic climate is making them more popular than ever.


In America these tough times are threatening some libraries with closure. Riding to the rescue is a slightly unusual figure, or so you would think from looking at him. An 88 year old gentleman who calls the internet "distracting" and numbers Bo Derek amongst his friends.


That's until you learn that the hero is none other than famed science fiction author Ray Bradbury. "“Libraries raised me,” Mr. Bradbury said. “I don’t believe in colleges and universities. I believe in libraries..."


To read the full story of this literary legend's involvement in helping to save an American Library click on this news link from the New York Times.

A Message of Support

We cannot let the day pass without sending out a message of support to the staff and pupils of Orewa College, as well as the families, friends and workmates of the injured, one of whom has sadly passed away overnight. We read about tragedies such as this every day and they are just lines in a newspaper. It is much more real when it happens this close to home. Our thoughts are with you all.

Join author Jill Marshall at Orewa Library July 4

For mums, daughters and girlfriends - 'Girls Day Out' with author Jill Marshall.

Orewa Library, Saturday July 4 2pm-3pm.

Celebrate the release of "Spylets are Forever", the final Jane Blonde book AND Jill's recently released novel for adults "As it is on Telly".

PLUS... design a sensational spy outfit for Jane Blonde! Entry forms available from Paper Plus Orewa.

Bring your designs along, the prize winner will be judged by Jill and announced at the event.

Proudly sponsored by Macmillan, PaperPlus and Penguin.

Warkworth Library Celebrates a Big Birthday

On 1st July 1859, 19 gentleman in Warkworth paid subscriptions to the Mahurangi Library. This was the beginning of library services in the Warkworth area, which have continued through several different buildings and addresses, a couple of name changes, the transformation from a volunteer run organisation to being part of Rodney Libraries and all the usual ups and downs that you would expect of 150 years of history.

We are celebrating our sesqui-centennial next week with a range of events including special storytimes (with a variety of guests including Clifford the Big Red Dog), performers (Starfish Magic with Funky Fairy Tales), cake cutting (of course), displays and our trivia challenge to the community "Are you smarter than a Librarian?"

We may not be the oldest public library in New Zealand (that's Wellington, closely followed by Nelson and Auckland) but we are of only about seven War Memorial Libraries in the country.

If there are any ex-Warkworth staff or patrons out there, we would love to hear tales and snippets from your time here. We've got a collection of newspaper clippings and photos, but the personal stories and experiences will all be included in our birthday book, which we hope will make great reading when we celebrate our 200th birthday.

Here is a quick rundown of events next week. We will have more on our history on the blog then as well.

MONDAY 29th June
Preschoolers Storytime at 10.30am with Celebrity Guest Clifford the Big Red Dog
TUESDAY 30th June
Warkworth Primary School are throwing us a party in their school hall.
WEDNESDAY 1st July
Official Birthday Celebration at 10am Cutting of the Birthday Cake by the Deputy Mayor. Come in throughout the day reminisce, enjoy our displays and have a slice of Cake.
Then at 7pm we ask “Are You Smarter than a Librarian?” Quiz Night at the Masonic Hall. $5 a person to see if you are up to the challenge. Tickets from the library.
THURSDAY 2nd July
Another Special Storytime at 10.30 am. Clifford the Big Red Dog is back and he is joined by some of our other regular visitors Gareth and Peyton
FRIDAY 3rd July
6pm Professional storytellers Starfish Magic with a special performance of “Funky Fairytales”. Free for children old and young in the Masonic Hall.

Horrible Histories - the Kiwi way!

Terry Deary's popular form of history telling has being taken, shaken and applied New Zealand by none other than internationally renowned author Margaret Mahy. And it is an absolute gem.

Awesome Aotearoa: Margaret Mahy's History of New Zealand follows the history of the "adventurous country". It is filled with funky facts ("In 1814 in the Bay of Islands the price of a musket was eight pigs and 150 baskets of potatoes"), great illustrations, limericks, a talking snail who helps fill in the gaps.

Margaret Mahy manages to poke fun at almost all parts of our history, but still addresses those issues that go to the core of where New Zealand is today. Deservedly shortlisted for several of the New Zealand books awards this year, I am sure that this title will prove popular for readers, both young and old.

This book is in the Children's Non Fiction section of the library under Call Number 993. Or you can request it online through our Rodney Libraries catalogue.

How do you celebrate the Maori New Year? Grab a camera and show the nation!

During Matariki, Te Papa, in partnership with TelstraClear and New Zealand Post, is creating an interactive display of images that capture the mood of this special time of year. Your photos can be part of it.
The theme for Matariki 2009 is whakawhanaungatanga (bringing people together). So get snapping, and capture how your friends and whänau live, work, and play during the festive season.
You can view the photos online, or come and see them larger than life in OurSpace. Then, in July, a panel of selectors will choose a range of the most impressive images to be shown on a giant screen outside Te Papa.
To participate, simply upload your images and tag them 'Matariki 09'.

Matariki rising

Auckland's Matariki Festival starts on Wednesday and runs for a whole month. The festival celebrates the Maori New Year.

Matariki is celebrated at different times throughout the country. Some tribes held festivals when Matariki (also known as the Pleiades) was first seen in the dawn sky; others celebrated after the full moon rose or at the beginning of the next new moon. Matariki can't be seen from some parts of New Zealand. For those tribes the rising of the star Puanga (also known as Rigel) indicated the start of the new year.

"During Matariki, we celebrate our unique place in the world. We give respect to the whenua on which we live, and admiration to our mother earth, Papatūānuku.
Throughout Matariki, we learn about those who came before us. Our history, our family, our bones.
Matariki signals growth. It's a time of change. It's a time to prepare, and a time of action. During Matariki, we acknowledge what we have and what we have to give.
Matariki celebrates the diversity of life. It's a celebration of culture, language, spirit and people.
Matariki is our Aotearoa Pacific New Year." from Te Taura Whiri i te reo Maori (Maori Language Commission) website

For more information Te Ara has several short articles on various aspects of Matariki.

Radio Books

I know I don't do this often enough. I mean to, it just falls through the gaps in my desk (not that I can actually see my desk at the moment but that's a whole other story).

But here is the list of books that are scheduled for review on the Nine to Noon Show, Radio New Zealand National, weekday mornings at 10.30am between now and the end of June.

22 June - Further Convictions Pending: Poems 1992-2008 (Vincent O'Sullivan)
23 June - Sag Harbour (Colson Whitehead)
24 June - In Hovering Flight (Joyce Hinnefeld)
25 June - The Music Room (William Fiennes)
26 June - The Northern Clemency (Philip Hensher)
29 June - Nobody Move (Denis Johnson)
30 June - Glover's Mistake (Nick Laird)

On Saturday 20 June Kim Hill will hosting Kate's Klassic at 9.45am. Kate Camp will discuss On the Road by Jack Kerouac.

And if you don't hear anything there that takes your interest, just pop into your local library and ask one of the staff there for some help.

Have a fantastic weekend everyone.

Swine Flu - What you can do to Prepare

Rodney District Council is encouraging people to think about what they can do to prepare for a Swine Flu outbreak, in case the flu spreads.
A few simple steps can help you to be prepared in the event of a flu outbreak or any other kind of emergency.
Paul Green, who oversees the Council’s Emergency Services Team says that if the flu spreads and people have to be quarantined in their homes for a number of days, they should have plans in place so they can stay warm and well fed.
“It’d be wise for people to make sure they have enough food to last at least a week – this is important not just for Swine Flu but will assist you to get through any kind of emergency.”
“People should also be thinking about how they can assist their family, friends and neighbours – and check up on whether they have enough food stored also.”
Mr Green says if people contract the flu then they will need to stay at home for at least seven days and they will need to consider how they can take care of themselves and anyone else who depends on them.
The Council has also been making preparations in light of the global situation. For the past month Council staff have been putting in place preparations to ensure the Council continues to provide essential services in the event of swine flu spreading and to provide welfare assistance to health authorities if required.
“We have been working on ensuring that essential services – such as the water supply and rubbish collections – will not be disrupted if staff are sick or need to look after sick family members.”
He says that public facilities, such as libraries or the Leisure Centre will remain open unless health authorities consider it necessary to close these to help prevent the spread of the flu virus.
Mr Green says that Council managers have been reviewing their business continuity plans and making sure these are up to date.
More information after the article on the RDC website "Swine Flu - What you can do to Prepare"

Thanks volunteers!

Last month the 2009 Rodney Community Service Awards were presented. Rodney Mayor Penny Webster thanked the award winners for their work in the community.
“While reading over the service histories of the 12 award winners I was struck by the fact that through their combined years of service to so many different organisations they have collectively touched the lives of hundreds of Rodney residents. These people really are local heroes.”
The Mayor says the ceremony was a good opportunity to celebrate the work of volunteers in the community. “There are thousands of other volunteers who provide unpaid service within the community to keep local facilities, service organisations and other groups operating and I would also like to thank them for their work.”
Two of our library vounteers were recipients of the award. The Libraries benefit from the generosity of many individuals in our communities. Our volunteers shelve books, check in returns, help out on the desks, deliver to Housebound Customers, cover the new books and mend the broken ones.
It's Volunteer Awareness Week this week so we're sending out an extra special thank you to all of our library vounteers.

Kid's Lit Quiz

Congratulations to the students from Belmont Intermediate who are the New Zealand finalists in the Kid's Lit Quiz.
"The Kids' Lit Quiz aims to motivate children and young people to read for pleasure and develop the habit of sustained reading by offering them irresistible reading challenges and enormous fun with a competitive element and great team-building opportunities." It was started in 1991 by Wayne Mills, a senior lecturer at the University of Auckland in the Faculty of Education. In March 2008 he was awarded the New Zealand Margaret Mahy Medal for his substantial and distinguished contribution to both national and international literature and literacy.
The team travel to South Africa in August to compete in the final. Good luck!

New Zealand Book Design Awards

Do you ever think about the way a book was put together when you pick it up? What made you pick up one book ahead of the title beside it? The design of books to enhance the words and pictures in them is an art in itself and this is celebrated each year in the BPANZ Book Design Awards. The shortlist for the 2009 awards has just been announced.

“The finalists we have chosen are representative of a very fertile collaboration between New Zealand publishers and designers. In all cases, a good text has been enhanced by a designer's sensitive and creative response,” says Peter Gilderdale, Convenor of Judges for 2009.

Gilderdale, along with other judges Graham Beattie and Guy Somerset, found it difficult to shortlist three books in each category. Gilderdale admits, “Judging these awards proved really tough because of the surfeit of exceptionally well-designed books to choose from.”

The competition is judged in five general categories, with a winner for the highly coveted Best Book and Best Cover chosen from the shortlist. The awards will be announced at a ceremony on 3 September, along with a new award for the Awa Press Young Designer of the Year.

The awards help promote excellence in, and provide recognition for, the best book design in New Zealand. They are sponsored by BPANZ, in association with the New Zealand Listener and Publishing Press.

Finalists for the 2009 BPANZ Book Design Awards are as follows:

Scholastic New Zealand Award for Best Children’s Book
The Apple (Sarah Healy )
The Were-Nana (Sarah Nelisiwe Anderson )
Piano Rock: A 1950s Childhood (Gavin Bishop)

Hachette New Zealand Award for Best Non-Illustrated Book
Doubtless: New and Selected Poems (Sam Hunt)
Collected Poems (C K Stead)
Diggers Hatters & Whores (Stevan Eldred-Grigg)

Random House New Zealand Award for Best Illustrated Book
Ladies, A Plate (Alexa Johnston)
Mates & Lovers: A History of Gay New Zealand (Chris Brickell)
White Silence (Grahame Sydney)

Pearson Award for Best Educational Book
Excellence in Biology III (Martin Hanson)
Saying What you See (Alison Annals, Abby Cunnane and Sam Cunnane)
Through a Gap in the Fence: Journal of Secondary Students' Writing and Visual Arts 2008 (Ministry of Education)

G.A. Pindar & Son Award for Best Typography
How to Look at a Painting (Justin Paton)
Into the Wider World: A Back Country Miscellany (Brian Turner)
Certain Words Drawn (John Reynolds)

Check in the Rodney Libraries catalogue or on the shelves of your local Rodney Library for these books (some of which are also short-listed for the Montana Book Awards) and see what sets them apart.

source NZ Booksellers

Government Calls for Submissions on Auckland Governance Bill

People wanting to have their say on the new Auckland Super City have until June 26 to do so. The Government has called for public submissions on the Local Government (Auckland Council) Bill.
The bill provides for the governance structure of the new Auckland (Super City) Council and provides powers for the Local Government Commission to determine:
- the names and boundaries of the wards and local boards
- the number of local boards and number of members, and
- the boundaries of the Auckland Council.

It also proposes amendments to legislation to allow the Auckland Transition Agency to approve a process for, and oversee, the planning and management of the integration of Auckland's water supply and wastewater services by Watercare Services Limited.
The bill is an opportunity for Rodney residents to make a submission on the above issues and also express their views on whether Rodney should be included in Auckland Region and become part of the Super City or be excluded from it.

Rodney Mayor Penny Webster says it is vital that residents let the Select Committee know their views on whether Rodney should be part of the Super City.
“Over the past few months many people have been saying to me that they don’t feel that Rodney’s interests will be well represented by one Councillor in a Super City.”
“The governance of Rodney is one of the most important issues affecting our community. Now is the time to let the Select Committee know your views. In a few months they will be making recommendations on Rodney’s future.”

To view a copy of the bill visit www.parliament.nz. Submissions on the bill can be made by emailing AGL@parliament.govt.nz or by posting 2 copies of your submission to the following address:
Committee Secretariat
Auckland Governance Legislation
Parliament Buildings
Wellington.

People wishing to appear before the committee to speak on their submissions should state this clearly and provide an email address and daytime telephone contact number.

Submissions close on Friday 26 June 2009.

Amended opening hours for the Kumeu and Helensville libraries

A review of the trial of extended opening hours at the Kumeu Library and the Helensville Library has been carried out. As a result of the review, the closing times of late nights for both of these libraries will be changing from Thursday 16 July 09 as follows:

Kumeu Library:
Monday 9.00am – 5.00pm
Tuesday 9.00am – 5.00pm
Wednesday 9.00am – 5.00pm
Thursday 9.00am – 6.30pm
Friday 9.00am – 5.00pm
Saturday 9.00am – 1.00pm

Helensville Library:
Monday 9.30am – 5.00pm
Tuesday 9.30am – 5.00pm
Wednesday 9.30am – 5.00pm
Thursday 9.30am – 5.00pm

Funky Fairytales at Helensville, Whangaparaoa and Warkworth libraries

Listen to original retelling of traditional fairytales along with live music, songs, dances and magic performed by Starfish Magic Children’s Theatre Company.

These fantastic free sessions for children are being held at:

· Helensville Library on Friday 12 June at 6pm
· Whangaparaoa Library on Thursday 18 June at 6.30pm, and
· Warkworth Library on Friday 3 July at 6pm

Events are funded from the Creative Communities Rodney Scheme with support from the Rodney District Council.

What's in the giant book?

Orewa Library is celebrating the launch of a giant storybook with a special starry night storytime session on Friday 12 June at 6.30pm. Pyjamas and slippers are recommended night attire at the session. Milo and marshmallows will also be provided.

The giant storybook will be used at future storytime sessions across the district and is also available for private hire.

Contact Orewa Library for more details 426 8249.

Email notification from the library

If you've added your email address to your library account you may have received an additional notice last Friday. That's when we rolled out Courtesy Notices.

A courtesy notice is an email reminder that your items are due a few days before they have to be returned. Then you can either renew or return them. No more late return charges!

Add your email address to your My Info account (you'll need your card number and PIN to get into the account. If you have problems please email us or talk to a librarian the next time you're in the library.)

Celebrity Debate

Our nearest Auckland library neighbours, North Shore Libraries, is hosting The Great Auckland LPF Winter Debate next Tuesday 9th June from 5.30pm.

These highly entertaining debates are part of an ongoing series hosted by the Local Publishers Forum. On Tuesday night the moot, ‘That the English language is in greater danger than the kokako’, will be examined, defended and attacked by a stellar team comprising David Slack, Roger Hall, Jenny Cole, Jeremy Elwood, Peter Calder and Jill Marshall ably chaired by Belynda Smith (Children's and Teenage Service's Librarian at Takapuna Library). Bookings are essential given this great line-up and space will be at a premium so be sure to RSVP in plenty of time.

Venue: Upstairs in the Takapuna Public Library, The Strand, Takapuna
Date: Tuesday 9 June 2009
5.30 pm Drinks and nibbles 6.00 pm Debate starts
Cost: $10
RSVP: by replying to mail@lpf.org.nz by Thursday 4 June

Mayor Penny's Reading Challenge

May is over which means it's time for kids to get their Mayor's Reading Challenge entry forms back to the library.
There are three ways to return the forms...


1. Drop it into your local Rodney Library.


2. Give it to your teacher (if your school is participating in the Challenge)


3. Post the form to:
Mayor Penny’s Reading Challenge
Warkworth War Memorial Library
1 Baxter Street
Warkworth 0910





All entries must be received by June 10 - that's next Wednesday!

Social Networking

Social Networking is the latest buzzword. It encompasses the whole range of Youtube, Facebook, Flickr and Twitter. There's podcasting (audio and visual) and blogging as well. And that's just scratching the surface.

Social Networking is not just a teenager or geek thing either. Getting and staying connected is so much more than that particular stereotype. It can open up a new world of information, for governments and corporates to families and individuals.

Rodney Libraries make use of social networking to keep both our customers and the rest of the world, up to date with what is happening in Rodney Libraries, the New Zealand and the internatinoal book and information world.

Obviously if you are reading this you have already found our Blog which has been broadcasting to the world for almost two years now (time flies).

But there are other ways to link through to Rodney Libraries. Check out our links on the side bar. Rodney Libraries can also be found at Facebook, Flickr and most recently we have added Twitter to our social networking stable. Plus we also have our blogsite where our Poetry Podcast competition is being hosted. Lots of wonderful ways for you to stay connected with one of my favourite places - your local library.

Montana New Zealand Book Awards Fiction Finalist Makes History

Debut novelist, Eleanor Catton is a finalist in this year’s Montana New Zealand Book Awards for her book, The Rehearsal; a work that has launched her onto the international stage, being snapped up by major-league publishers in the US and UK.
Announced today, Catton is one of five fiction finalists, a category described as showing “variety and sophistication” by 2009 Montana New Zealand Book Awards judges’ convenor, Dr. Mark Williams. It also includes Kate De Goldi’s The 10PM Question. Already the Book of the Year at this year’s New Zealand Post Book Awards, this age-defying book’s Montana shortlisting makes history as the first to be simultaneously selected for both the children’s and adult’s national awards.
“The fiction finalists take us inside the land of teenage anxieties and excitations, a world where emotion is physical and sex is as ubiquitous as thought, and where adult codes cannot overwhelm the force of desire. We even enter the worlds of science and political correctness.
“Last year's publishing crop was rich and various. We enjoyed lavish books on food, domestic architecture, gardening and the arts; challenging fiction and poetry; gripping biography and impressive works of history. All are evidence that the literary culture of this country is not about to roll over and die in the face of hard economic times,” says Dr Williams.
This year’s Poetry category finalists are also stand-outs.
“Something significantly new has been achieved in poetic practice in this country. This year produced collections of individual poems and sequences that will stay in the minds of readers.”
The judging panel, on which Williams is joined by novelist and reviewer, Jane Westaway and journalist, Margo White, commented that finalist books across all categories represent the culmination of a period of cultural self-awareness and broadening.
“Janet Frame once described New Zealand, somewhat slightingly, as possessing ‘a rich material culture’. In the past this has perhaps gone with a lack of richness in the non-material aspects of culture. If so, many of the books in this year’s awards demonstrate that that lack has been amply satisfied over the last year,” they said.
More than 200 books were submitted for consideration in this year’s Awards.
Now in their 13th year, the Montana-sponsored Awards have a strict set of guidelines. The judging panel takes into account enduring literary merit and overall authorship; quality of illustration and graphic presentation; production values; general design; the standard of editing and the impact of the book on the community.
The judging of New Zealand’s best books published during the 2008 calendar year is carried out across eight categories – Fiction, Poetry, Biography, History, Reference & Anthology, Environment, Illustrative, and Lifestyle & Contemporary Culture.
The full list of finalists in the 2009 Montana New Zealand Book Awards by category are:

Fiction:
The Crocus Hour by Charlotte Randall (Penguin Group New Zealand).
The Rehearsal by Eleanor Catton (Victoria University Press).
The 10PM Question by Kate De Goldi (Longacre Press).
Acid Song by Bernard Beckett (Longacre Press).
Novel About My Wife by Emily Perkins (Allen & Unwin).

Poetry:
get some by Sonja Yelich (Auckland University Press).
The Lakes of Mars by Chris Orsman (Auckland University Press).
The Rocky Shore by Jenny Bornholdt (Victoria University Press).

Biography:
Rita Angus: An Artist’s Life by Jill Trevelyan (Te Papa Press).
The Love School: Personal Essays by Elizabeth Knox (Victoria University Press).
Heaphy by Iain Sharp (Auckland University Press).

Environment:
A Continent on the Move: New Zealand Geoscience into the 21st Century edited by Ian Graham (Geological Society of New Zealand).
Into the Wider World: A Back Country Miscellany by Brian Turner (Random House New Zealand).
Albatross: Their world, Their Ways by Tui De Roy and Mark Jones (David Bateman Ltd).

History:
Mates & Lovers: A Gay History of New Zealand by Chris Brickell (Random House New Zealand).
First Catch Your Weka: A Story of New Zealand Cooking by David Veart (Auckland University Press).
Buying the Land, Selling the Land by Richard Boast (Victoria University Press).

Illustrative:
Peter Peryer: Photographer by Peter Simpson with photos by Peter Peryer (Auckland University Press).
Certain Words Drawn by John Reynolds (Random House New Zealand).
Len Castle: Making the Molecules Dance by Len Castle (Lopdell House Gallery).

Lifestyle and Contemporary Culture:
The Pavlova Story: A Slice of New Zealand’s Culinary History by Helen Leach (Otago University Press).
Ladies, A Plate: Traditional Home Baking by Alexa Johnston (Penguin Group New Zealand).
Art Icons of New Zealand: Lines in the Sand by Oliver Stead (David Bateman Ltd).

Reference and Anthology:
The Painted Garden in New Zealand Art by Christopher Johnstone (Random House New Zealand).
The Collected Letters of Katherine Mansfield, Volume 5: 1922 edited by Vincent O’Sullivan and Margaret Scott (Oxford University Press).
Collected Poems 1951–2006 by CK Stead (Auckland University Press).

The winner in each category receives a prize of $5,000. Each category winner is eligible for the Montana Medal for Non-fiction or the Montana Medal for Poetry or Fiction, both of which carry a prize of $10,000.

The New Zealand Society of Authors (NZSA) Best First Book Awards Finalists are:
Fiction:
The Year of the Shanghai Shark by Mo Zhi Hong (Penguin Group New Zealand).
Misconduct by Bridget van der Zijpp (Victoria University Press).
The Rehearsal by Eleanor Catton (Victoria University Press).

Poetry:
Everything Talks by Sam Sampson (Auckland University Press).
The Propaganda Poster Girl by Amy Brown (Victoria University Press).
The World’s Fastest Flower by Charlotte Simmonds (Victoria University Press).

Non-fiction:
First Catch Your Weka: A Story of New Zealand Cooking by David Veart (Auckland University Press).
Mates & Lovers: A Gay History of New Zealand by Chris Brickell (Random House New Zealand).
Nga Tama Toa, The Price of Citizenship – C Company 28 (Māori) Battalion 1939–1945 by Monty Soutar (David Bateman Ltd).

Each NZSA Best First Book Awards category winner receives $2,500.

The principal sponsors of the Montana New Zealand Book Awards are Montana and Creative New Zealand. The awards are managed by Booksellers New Zealand and supported by Book Publishers Association of New Zealand, the New Zealand Society of Authors and Book Tokens (NZ) Ltd.
The winner of the poetry category will be announced on Montana Poetry Day on Friday 24 July 2009.
All other winners will be announced at a gala dinner to be held at the Auckland Museum on Monday 27 July 2009.

LIANZA Children’s Book Awards finalists announced

From stories exploring the lives and ideals of family and communities, to the reminiscence of roly-poly pudding, the finalists of the LIANZA (Library and Information Association of New Zealand Aotearoa) Children’s Book Awards are a true celebration of New Zealand writers and illustrators. The Awards are for excellence in literature, illustration, non-fiction and te reo Maori.

The Finalists are:

LIANZA ESTHER GLEN AWARD (Fiction)

Juno of Taris by Fleur Beale (Random House New Zealand)

Old Drumble by Jack Lasenby (HarperCollinsPublishers (New Zealand) Ltd)

The Tomorrow Code by Brian Falkner (Walker Books Australia)

The 10pm Question by Kate de Goldi (Longacre Press)

Violence 101 by Denis Wright (Penguin New Zealand)

LIANZA RUSSELL CLARK AWARD (Illustration)

Every Second Friday by Kiri Lightfoot, Illustrated by Ben Galbraith (Hachette New Zealand)

Herbert by Robyn Belton (Craig Potton Publishing)

My Favourite Places by Martin Bailey (Mallinson Rendel)

Oliver Goes Exploring by Margaret Beames, Illustrated by Sue Hitchcock (Scholastic)

Roadworks by Sally Sutton, Illustrated by Brian Lovelock (Walker Books Australia)

LIANZA ELSIE LOCKE (Non Fiction)

Atoms, dinosaurs & DNA by Veronika Meduna & Rebecca Priestley (Random House New Zealand)

Back & Beyond: New Zealand Painting for the Young & Curious by Gregory O’Brien (Auckland University Press)

Juicy Writing by Brigid Lowry (Allen & Unwin)

Piano Rock by Gavin Bishop (Random House New Zealand)

High-tech Legs on Everest by Mark Inglis with Sarah Ell (Random House New Zealand)

TE KURA POUNAMU (te reo Maori)

Mihiroa by Peti Nohotima (He Kupenga Hao i te Reo Ltd)

Nau te Rourou, Naku te Rourou by Rosalind and Waaka Vercoe (Huia Education)

Ko Maraea Me Nga Toroa by Patricia Grace, Illustrator Brian Gunson, Translator Waiariki Grace (Penguin NZ)

Toheroa by James Te Tuhi and Ross Gregory (Huia Education)

Hinemoa te Toa by Tim Tipene, Illustrator John Bennett, Translator Katerina Te Heikoko Mataira (Scholastic)

The 2009 Award Ceremony will take place in Wellington on Monday August 10th at Caffe L’affare, College Street. The LIANZA Children’s Book Awards 2009 are supported by Wheelers Books and Caffe L’affare.