Auckland Libraries blog

Karen and Louisa celebrate Halloween with some tricks from Karen, aka horrific reading recommendations, and a treat from Louisa, a spooky and sinister Roald Dahl story for your listening enjoyment. Listen to this episode on the Auckland Libraries podcast . Books, authors and a website recommended by Karen: Books The Odyssey by Homer Hansel and Gretel in Grimm’s Fairy Tales The complete fiction of HP Lovecraft   Against the world, against life, a biography of HP Lovecraft by Michel Houellebecq  The cask of Amontillado and The pit and the pendulum in  The complete tales and poems of Edgar Allan Poe The Haunting of Hill House and The lottery and other stories by Shirley Jackson Don’t look now in Don't look now and other stories by Daphne du Maurier Authors Stephen King  Edward Gorey Joe Hill Website Visit  www.creepypasta.com . Please note this website is not recommended for children due to its terrifying nature. Louisa’s...

Karen and Louisa celebrate Labour Weekend with books about labour and labouring, from ancient Rome to the Victorian mills of Dickens’s Hard Times , even a thriller set during Auckland’s waterfront dispute, Jonothan Cullinane’s Red Herring. Listen to this episode of Books and Beyond on the Auckland Libraries podcast . Books mentioned in the show: Samuel Duncan Parnell - a legacy: the 8 hour day, Labour Day and time off by Paul Corliss North and South by Mrs Gaskell   David Copperfield by Charles Dickens Hard Times by Charles Dickens Orgy planner wanted: odd jobs and curious callings in the ancient world by Vicki León Screw work, break free: how to launch your own money-making idea in 30 days by John Williams Would you believe - bed testers get paid to sleep: and other jammy jobs by Richard Platt Careers for introverts & other solitary types by Blythe Camenson Careers for perfectionists & other meticulous types by Blythe Camenson Red He...

Congratulations to the twelve lucky winners of our 2018 Comic Book September promotion. Yes, twelve winners, two more than was advertised thanks to our sponsors, Beyond Reality Media and Armageddon Auckland. The winners of family passes to the 2018 Auckland Armageddon Expo: Maximus from Titirangi Library Aries from Te Matariki Clendon Library Lochlan from Te Matariki Clendon Library Louie from Rānui Library Max from Pt Chevalier Library Adam from Onehunga Library Alden from Manukau Library The winners of triple packs of Beyond Reality Media graphic novels: Roger from Papakura Library Kerry from Panmure Library Ross from Titirangi Library Quang from Mt Albert Library Leonie from Birkenhead Library Thank you to all who took part in the promotion, aimed at encouraging all Aucklanders to explore the variety of graphic novels, manga and comics in our graphic novel collections.

Auckland Libraries loan periods for books, DVDs and magazines will change over the summer holidays. From Saturday 24 November you will be able to check out certain items for a longer period of time to accommodate reduced hours during the Christmas holiday period. These changes will continue to roll out in December. Loan rules for Nov 2018 - Jan 2019 From 24 November - 28 day loans become 42 day loans  From 8 December - 14 day loans become 28 day loans  From 5 January - 28 day loans go back to normal  From 12 January - 14 day loans go back to normal 

For Mental Health Awareness Week , Karen and Louisa recommend good reads which speak to the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand's five ways to wellbeing: Connect, Give, Take notice, Keep learning and Be active. Listen to this episode of Books and Beyond on the Auckland Libraries podcast . Books recommended by the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand Beloved by Emma Farry Vitamin N: the essential guide to a nature-rich life by Richard Louv The nature fix: why nature makes us happier, healthier and more creative by Florence Williams The art of mindful birdwatching: reflections on freedom & being by C Thompson How to raise a wild child: the art and science of falling in love with nature by Scott D. Sampson Te Taiao Māori and the natural world by Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand Blue mind: the surprising science that shows how being near, in on, or under water can make you happier, healthier, more connected, and better at what you do by WJ Nic...

शुभ दीपावली / Happy Diwali! Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights, is celebrated worldwide and is marked by Auckland Libraries as a key cultural festival. During Diwali, families, friends and communities come together in happiness to celebrate new beginnings and the victory of knowledge over ignorance, good over evil, hope over despair and light over darkness.  This year, Auckland Libraries theme for Diwali is:  ‘Be the light - Spread the light,’ which is aspirational in every walk of life. Diwali is celebrated over four to five days by millions of Indians around the world, with increasing numbers of people joining in to celebrate the cultural side of the festival.  Auckland Libraries is celebrating Diwali with beautiful and informative displays and great events.   Join us from 20 October - 4 November in celebrating community, family and light! Events Discover and celebrate Indian culture, music, dance and craft with Auckland Libraries....

Our We Love Feedback survey is now updated and better than ever. Our expanded survey aims to collect customer feedback covering many specific aspects of your experience at Auckland Libraries. We want to hear your feedback on staff service, library spaces, our collections, online spaces and much more. You may receive an invitation in your email, or you can head to our website and click the We Love Feedback link  at the bottom. We always love your feedback!

Great news! From 11 October, RBdigital users will be able to automatically check out new issues of eMagazines as soon as they are available!  This means you will always have the latest issues of your favourite magazines waiting for you in your RBdigital account! When checking out a magazine, you will be able to select if you would like to be notified via email of the availability of future issues and have those automatically checked out and available for reading in the RBdigital app and website. If you have already opted to be notified when future issues of your favourite magazine are available, in future you will be emailed and your magazine will automatically be checked out to you. Find out more about accessing eMagazines on our website or click here to read more about RBdigital’s eMagazine selection .

Whose life stories are the most requested at Auckland Libraries right now? Steven Adams and Princess Margaret!  This week on Books and Beyond, Louisa and Karen talk about one of our most popular genres: the biography. Listen to this episode on the Auckland Libraries podcast. Books mentioned in the show Steven Adams: my life, my fight by Steven Adams and Madeleine Chapman  Body parts: essays on life-writing  by Hermione Lee Orwell's nose: a pathological biography by John Sutherland  Christopher Walken A to Z: the man, the movies, the legend by Robert Schnakenberg  Cleopatra: a life by Stacy Schiff Vincent and Theo: the Van Gogh brothers by Deborah Heiligman Daphne du Maurier by Margaret Forster  Take six girls: the lives of the Mitford sisters by Laura Thompson  The Sun King: Louis XIV at Versailles by Nancy Mitford Ma'am darling: 99 glimpses of Princess Margaret by Craig Brown Graham Henry: final word by Bob Howitt  ...