Auckland Libraries blog

Work smarter, not harder. The best study environments are free and have everything you need to focus, collaborate, unwind and get support from experts. Here’s how you can get free resources and support from libraries as a student in Auckland. Are you on your academic journey in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland? University can be a demanding adventure, but don't worry, you've got this – because your public libraries have your back!   Scattered throughout the region like hidden gems, Auckland Council Libraries offer a free gateway to a wide range of resources online and in person. Think beyond the bookshelves: explore creative spaces, find personalised reading recommendations, or seek expert research assistance. Plus, you can access technology and quiet study spaces – everything you need to thrive in your studies.  Make your student life easier by getting to know your local library, designed to support your learning journey and help save your precious dollars. All you need is a lib...

As part of our annual festival of reading and writing, We Read Auckland / Ka Pānui Tātau i Tāmaki Makaurau 2023, Auckland Libraries launched our new Bestie collection. Making it easier to access the best popular reads at our libraries, we featured 10 books by Auckland authors for our first Bestie selection. Find out how Bestie works But the fun doesn’t stop there. If you’ve missed getting your hands on a copy so far, or loved a Bestie so much you didn’t want it to end, our expert team have recommended ‘read-alikes’ for each book in the collection. Check out the full list below. Plus, tune in to our podcast interviews with three of the Bestie authors!  Listen on SoundCloud Find your next reading match Go beyond the local bestsellers in our first Bestie collection with our curated selection of similar reads! You can find and borrow them in the library catalogue as usual.  Read-alikes: 'The Doctor’s Wife' by Fiona Sussman  If you loved Sussman’s medical murder mystery, try t...

 Vaiaso o le Gagana Samoa / Samoa Language Week, 28 May - 3 June 2023 The theme for Vaiaso o le Gagana Samoa 2023 is ‘Mitamita i lau gagana, maua’a lou fa’asinomaga’ which means ‘Be proud of your language and grounded in your identity’. Here at Auckland Council Libraries, we are delighted to announce the upcoming launch of a new bilingual book in Samoan and English and share reading recommendations curated by Veronica Ligaliga, Senior Librarian Pacific Content, in celebration of Vaiaso o le Gagana Samoa! The overarching theme for Pacific Language Weeks 2023 is sustainability, to help keep our Pacific languages, cultures and identities thriving in Aotearoa. Learn more about Pacific Language Weeks from the Ministry for Pacific Peoples . We are also proud to share a new video about village life in the Pacific Islands from the Auckland Libraries YouTube channel . And we encourage you to stay connected with Pasifika news and upcoming events on the Auckland Libraries Talanoa Facebook pa...

Love is Love display at Central Library We celebrated the fabulous  Auckland Pride Festival  from 1 - 26 February and Valentine’s Day on 14 February with a fun Auckland Libraries promotion. Customers were encouraged to borrow three or more romances from our shelves or via Libby/OverDrive over February for a chance to win a Love is Love prize pack. Love is Love: Take 3 Romances competition winners 🎀 Teresa from Botany Library was the lucky winner of our romantic picnic hamper valued at $200, and runner-up Kate from Whangaparāoa Library won a $50 ‘shop and munch’ gift card from Bunnings Warehouse.  Our Love is Love romantic picnic prize pack Find your perfect book match 💞 It’s never too late to swipe right on these hot tips for finding your next romance read!  Browse books labelled ‘Romance’ on our shelves or in our  library catalogue . Libby/OverDrive is open 24/7 for sweet and steamy romance on-demand! Check out what’s available right now in our...

Tuesday 7 March 2023 is Census Day  Ko te Rātū 7 Poutūterangi 2023 te Rā Tatauranga 2023 Census is our chance to represent ourselves, our families, whānau, communities, and cultures. When we all take part in the 2023 Census, all of us count - Tatau tātou.   What is the census? The census is a nationwide survey that happens every five years. Every person who is in the country on the night of Tuesday 7 March 2023 will need to do the census. By taking part in the census, you help create a better understanding of your community and what it needs. Your identity is kept private and confidential. Read more on the census website Doing the census Stats NZ will start delivering census forms and instructions in February 2023. You will be able to do the census online or on paper, in English or te reo Māori.  Depending on where you live, a census collector may visit, or you may get a census pack in your letterbox. Your census pack will contain:  a letter with an access code, whic...

Hot drinks, knitwear and cosying up with a good book – we all have our tried and tested ways of surviving the winter weather in Tāmaki Makaurau. Whether you head out to brave the cold or like to stay tucked up at home, our inviting and cosy spaces, binge-worthy collections, and portable Home Energy Audit Toolkits are here to help keep you and your whānau safe, entertained and warm this winter. Make our libraries your lounge If you want to escape the harsh winter weather, pop into your local library to kick back and relax! Browse the shelves, charge your phone, connect to the free WiFi, listen to a Book Bite or find a comfy couch and hunker down for an hour or two.  Rānui and Devonport Library even have their own fireplaces, so make yourself at home! Free WiFi A friendly reminder ​that all of our libraries across Tāmaki Makaurau offer free wireless internet access (WiFi), including mobile libraries. Bring in your laptop, tablet or smartphone to access the internet. If you don’t...