Celebrating NZ Music Month with Auckland Libraries

Black and white photo of a man playing the guitar and singing

Calling all movers, shakers, groovers and music lovers! Celebrate everything that makes Aotearoa special with us this May and jive into a world of musical history.

Firmly entrenched in our culture, music plays an integral part in connecting the communities of Aotearoa together and creating a sense of belonging for people from all walks of life.

NZ Music Month is not just about celebrating our music, but also the people who make it! We are lucky here in New Zealand to have such a richly diverse repertoire to choose from. So, we've put together a list of ways to help kick-off your celebrations in style! From musical eMagazines to free technical tutorials, delve into the world of music. 

Grab the popcorn and get comfortable, Beamafilm has hundreds of binge-worthy documentaries and movies dedicated to music and the lives of its biggest stars! Whether it's Whitney Houston, Martin Phillips or Bruce Springsteen, watch as stars are born, legacies are made and how tragedies unfold.


Although famous for its book chats and heritage talks, our podcast has a wealth of music ready to be listened to! You can choose from heritage concerts featuring live performances from some of New Zealand's best classical musicians, a Pasifika collection that celebrates the many cultures of the Pacific Islands or our specially curated NZ Music Month 2020 playlistWhile you're there, why not check out our new series, Book Bites, and let us know what you think!


Fancy becoming an artist yourself? Head to Lynda.com to see their extensive collection of online tutorials and software classes. They have dedicated learning paths in music production, songwriting, music theory, music composition and more! You can also check out Naxos Music Library and Oxford Music Online, all for free with your library membership!

Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections Footprints 00706
Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections Footprints 00706.

If you want to take a trip down memory lane, browse Kura Heritage Collections Online to see photographs throughout the ages. There are pictures of performers from across the whole of Tāmaki Makaurau, maybe you'll spot someone you know!


Music isn't just about the voices and instruments, it's about the culture that manifests around it. RBdigital has a great collection of eMagazines that cover classical music, the technicalities of making music and the pop culture eMags that feature the artists themselves! Or, head to PressReader to browse their impressive NZ specific collection!


It goes without saying that we have a vast collection of eBooks surrounding everything musical and more! If you don't know where to start, our lovely librarians have put together some fantastic eBook lists. Check out our range of book lists on our website or our list of NZ Music Month reads on OverDrive.

Libraries' got talent



You may recognise a few familiar faces on our social channels performing songs and rhymes for tamaraki to sing along to! We have so many talented staff at Auckland Libraries and their skills go far beyond recommending a good book. Take a look at a few of our favourites, and keep an eye out on your local libraries Facebook page for more!


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