Auckland Libraries blog

Libby have made a few enhancements to their app, to continue to provide the best experience possible for our readers. Helpful Shelf tips: There will be new Shelf tips, including one that encourages you to return books once you’re done. You will see this early return prompt based on your reading progress and the number of other readers waiting for a title.  Updated Loans display: The look of the loan screen has been refreshed, adding a reading progress bar and exact due dates. A simple tap on the due date for each book brings up options to return early, renew, or go to the details page. Improved wait time display: You can now see the estimated wait time for a hold by tapping the new calendar icon on your Holds shelf. The OverDrive site will also display an approximate wait time. Please note that all wait times are estimates and may change based on various factors, like early return and hold pickup time. New Shelf summary: When visiting the Shelf, you will be greeted with...

Massey Library will close at 4pm on Sunday 17 February and re-open with reduced hours and reduced services in anticipation of the opening of our new library and community centre, Te Manawa in late March. Massey Library will be closed from Monday 18 February - Sunday 24 February, inclusive. The library will then re-open for four weeks with reduced hours as follows: Monday 25 February – Thursday 28 February, 10.00am – 3.00pm Monday 4 March  – Thursday 7 March, 10.00am – 3.00pm Monday 11 March – Thursday 14 March, 10.00am – 3.00pm Monday 18 March – Thursday 21 March, 10.00am – 3.00pm Massey Library will then be closed permanently from 3pm Thursday 21 March. Reduced services will be as follows: Request pick-up and return drop-off only No Internet access or printing facilities For a full range of services nearby, Kumeū Library , Waitākere Central (Henderson) Library , Rānui Library , and Te Atatū Peninsula Library will be open regular hours. Our new li...

This week on Books & Beyond, Karen and Louisa celebrate Auckland Anniversary weekend by paying tribute to our city by choosing books of historical recollections, novelistic descriptions, and poetic odes. Listen to this week's episode on the Auckland Libraries podcast .  Read on for the books mentioned in the show: Dove on the waters by Maurice Shadbolt The new animals by Pip Adam High hope in hard times: a history of Grey Lynn and Westmere by Kaaren Hiyama Te Atatu me: photographs of an urban New Zealand village by John B. Turner; historical essay by Grant Cole A fine prospect: a history of Remuera, Meadowbank and St Johns by Jenny Carlyon and Diana Morrow Urban village: the story of Ponsonby, Freemans Bay and St Mary’s Bay by Jenny Carlyon and Diana Morrow Auckland by the sea: 100 years of work and play by David Johnson Flowers after the sun: poems by John Pule Sonnets to Van Gogh & providence by John Pule Love as a stranger by Owen Marshall ...

To celebrate Auckland's anniversary, Auckland Libraries has wrapped the city's heritage in an easy-to-explore package with Kura Heritage Collections Online . Unwrap our heritage with the click of a mouse or swipe of a phone to discover more than 600,000 historic documents and records. Kura features a wealth of photographs and portraits, plans and personal letters - and that's just the start. Before Kura launched, history enthusiasts had to access heritage items by trawling through dozens of databases. Now the content is easy for anyone to browse, download and share instantly - and still completely free. Auckland Centennial Regatta. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections T2344 Councillor Penny Hulse, Chairperson of the Environment and Community Committee, is excited about the launch and passionate about what Kura will offer to Aucklanders. “It’s about giving the city the ability to access their heritage as easily and conveniently as possible,” she...

Take a chance on a blind date with a book... Indulge in a fun Valentine’s activity that is as mysterious and adventurous as a blind date, and you could be in to win one of two amazing experiences from Auckland’s own Cordis Hotel . Every February, Auckland Libraries is one of many libraries around the world offering a range of carefully selected and wrapped books for customers to have a bit of fun experimenting with their reading. Without knowing the author or title, you choose your blind date read based on a set of clues on the wrapping or attached bookmark.  Some are fiction, and some are non-fiction. Some are new, and others are tried and true classics.  Your blind date may be funny, informative, entertaining, scary or heart-breaking, maybe even a little odd. It could lead to a new and surprising, never-would-have-picked-that reading experience. You won’t know until you get it home!    Blind Date with a Book competition Every blind date book you ...

Last month we shared our list of suggested wild card challenges . But if you are still stuck for ideas, why not use the Auckland Government Women's Network's (AGWN) challenge as your wild card? 'Read the story of an inspirational woman.' AGWN supports women from all government agencies in the Auckland region to achieve their potential by connecting and sharing information and resources. Auckland Central City Library hosted an AGWN event during Wāhine Take Action , as part of last year’s celebrations for the 125th anniversary of Suffrage day. In her 2019 New Year newsletter, chairperson of AGWN Joanne Hacking urged members to make the most of summer's slower pace by picking up a book to find inspiration for the year ahead and to join the Great Summer Read.  You're a champion, Joanne!   Here is what Joanne shared with her members: Many of the most successful people in the world credit their success to reading Telling the stories of women can help...

Congratulations to the lucky winners of the latest The Great Summer Read prize draw! Everyone who completed a Great Summer Read challenge, and checked it in on the website between 5 January and 11 January was entered into the draw.   This week our sponsored prizes went to: Toni from Pt Chevalier Library, winner of the Specsavers NZ voucher, including an eye examination, two pairs of glasses from any Specsavers range and prescribed lenses (including polarised sunglasses). Tim from Onehunga Library, winner of the New Zealand Maritime Museum family pass to sail on the Ted Ashby heritage scow. Danny from Warkworth Library, winner of the family pass to visit MOTAT . Harrison from Avondale Library, winner of the family pass to visit Auckland Zoo . Five other winners won vouchers for a free rental from our Top Picks new release collection: Claire from Takapuna Library Averil from Takapuna Library Brenda from Pt Chevalier Library Natalie from New Lynn Library Ka...

Congratulations to the lucky winners of the latest The Great Summer Read prize draws! Everyone who completed a Great Summer Read challenge, and checked it in on the website between 22 December and 28 December was entered into the Week 4 prize draw. Our sponsored prizes for Week 4 went to: Su from Glenfield Library, winner of the Specsavers NZ voucher, including an eye examination, two pairs of glasses from any Specsavers range and prescribed lenses (including polarised sunglasses). Caitlin from Botany Library, winner of the New Zealand Maritime Museum family pass to sail on the Ted Ashby heritage scow. Mirhan from Highland Park Library, winner of the family pass to visit MOTAT . Alison from Te Atatu Peninsula Library, winner of the family pass to visit Auckland Zoo . Five other winners won vouchers for a free rental from our Top Picks new release collection: Bianca from Avondale Library Elvi from Central City Library Carol from Titirangi Library Jannis from Albany...

Karen chats with Joanne Drayton about Hudson & Halls: the food of love , her new book about two television chefs who helped change the bedrock bad attitudes of a nation in the 1970s and 80s to that unspoken thing – homosexuality. They were also captains of a culinary revolution that saw the overthrow of Aunt Daisy and Betty Crocker and the beginnings of Pacific-rich, Asian-styled international cuisine. Listen to this week's episode on the Auckland Libraries podcast. Read on for the books mentioned in the show. Joanne Drayton is also the author of the New York Times bestseller,  The search for Anne Perry , about the bestselling crime novelist who left behind another identity - that of Juliet Hulme of ' Heavenly Creatures ' fame - as well as a number of critically-acclaimed biographies. Auckland Libraries' radio show Books and Beyond explores the world of books with guest authors, recommended reads, gems from the Central City Library basement and… beyo...

All our libraries will be closed for Auckland Anniversary Day and Waitangi Day,  with the exception of Botany Library . Auckland Anniversary Day All libraries will be closed on Monday 28 January for Auckland Anniversary Day, with the exception of Botany Library Botany Library will be open 10am - 5.30pm Mobile Libraries will not operate Waitangi Day All libraries will be closed on Wednesday 6 February for Waitangi Day, with the exception of Botany Library Botany Library will be open 9.30am - 5.30pm Mobile Libraries will not operate Looking for information or a relaxing read? Our online resources will be available 24/7, as usual. Find out more about our eBooks, eAudiobooks, eNewspapers and eMagazines

Congratulations to the lucky winners of this week's The Great Summer Read prize draw! Everyone who completed a Great Summer Read challenge, and checked it in on the website between 15 December and 21 December was entered into the draw. This week our sponsored prizes went to: Kim from Onehunga Library, winner of the Specsavers NZ voucher, including an eye examination, two pairs of glasses from any Specsavers range and prescribed lenses (including polarised sunglasses). Thurston from Northcote Library, winner of the New Zealand Maritime Museum family pass to sail on the Ted Ashby heritage scow. Harshitha from Botany Library, winner of the family pass to visit MOTAT . Vivianne from Panmure Library, winner of the family pass to visit Auckland Zoo . Five other winners won vouchers for a free rental from our Top Picks new release collection: Jocelyn from Blockhouse Bay Library Rosemary from Manurewa Library Sophie from Parnell Library Jessica from Glenfield Librar...

Mike Lee wears his scholar and author’s hat as he talks with Karen about his new book Navigators and naturalists: French exploration of New Zealand and the South Seas (1769-1824) , which weaves together geography, natural philosophy and human history, in telling the story of the great French naturalist-voyagers. Listen to this episode on the Auckland Libraries podcast . Auckland Libraries' radio show Books and Beyond explores the world of books with guest authors, recommended reads, gems from the Central City Library basement and… beyond. Catch us on Planet FM104.6, Sundays at 9.35pm. Listen to recent shows via the Auckland Libraries podcast .