Auckland Libraries blog

Women's stories deserve to be heard and celebrated. Through the power of books, women authors have accelerated progress toward a stronger and more inclusive world for all.  This International Women's Day , we’re sharing powerful narratives and diverse perspectives of women writers through a collection of recommended reads available to borrow from Auckland Council Libraries. Find your sense of belonging among these unique reads and remember – your voice matters! Unearthing her-story and the power of the past Delve into the captivating world of women's history with our expertly curated lists. Compiled by our passionate librarians, these selections shed light on true stories of extraordinary women throughout the ages who went unheard in their own time. Explore the journeys of changemakers, pioneers and everyday heroes who have shaped our world. Women's histories – unveil hidden figures behind historical events and the empires of times long past. Inspire inclusion – uncov

This year is the centenary of Katherine Mansfield (1888–1923). A founding and influential writer of the modernist movement, Mansfield grew up in Aotearoa and many of her much-loved short stories explore this setting. To celebrate Mansfield’s legacy in 2023, we’re sharing a selection of works by or about her from the Auckland Council Libraries collections. Read our brief introduction to her life and work, and explore the reading suggestions below for a chance to dip into the world of Mansfield. A brief introduction Katherine Mansfield was born in Wellington in 1888 and spent much of her childhood in the suburb of Karori. The city and its surroundings form the backdrop of many of her well-known stories, such as “Prelude” (1918), “At the Bay” (1922) and “The Doll’s House” (1922).   In 1908, Mansfield moved to London and became involved with the influential Bloomsbury Group of modernist writers, artists and intellectuals. She began contributing to literary magazines and her writing quickly

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 these g

 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 page !

We’re feeling the love at Auckland Council Libraries this month as we celebrate the fabulous Auckland Pride Festival from 1 - 26 February and Valentine’s Day on 14 February. Love is Love competition: Take 3 romances Borrow three romance titles over February, and you’re automatically in the draw to win a Love is Love prize pack!  Fill your library card with romances for your chance to take home a romantic picnic hamper valued at $200 or a $50 ‘shop and munch’ gift card from Bunnings Warehouse . Swipe right on these hot tips Try out these hot tips to help you find your perfect book match and be in to win a date on us! Browse books labelled ‘Romance’ on our shelves, in our catalogue, and tagged ‘Romance’ in our Libby for OverDrive eBook and eAudiobook collections . Request our newest romance titles , along with the latest erotic fiction , historical romances , paranormal romances and romantic suspense reads . Check our website for curated romance reading lists by our expert librarians L

We've done the maths, and the results are in for our top checkouts for 2022! This year's most-borrowed titles show an enduring love and loyalty around favourite authors and series, whether local or international.  Explore our top checkouts and check them out yourself at your local library! Most-borrowed fiction 2022 Blue moon by Lee Child Grown ups by Marian Keyes The night fire by Michael Connelly Where the crawdads sing by Delia Owens Fair warning by Michael Connelly Most-borrowed fiction by Aotearoa New Zealand authors 2022 Before you knew my name by Jacqueline Bublitz Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason To Italy, with love  by Nicky Pellegrino Auē by Becky Manawatu The girl in the mirror by Rose Carlyle Most-borrowed non-fiction 2022 Veg by Jamie Oliver This much is true by Miriam Margolyes Vegful by Nadia Lim Atomic habits by James Clear The mirror book: a memoir by Charlotte Grimshaw Most-borrowed non-fiction by Aotearoa New Zealand authors 2022 Vegful by Nadia L

It will come as no surprise that we love sharing great books and stories, but did you know that we publish our own books? In 2020, we established a small but exciting publishing partnership programme to create and publish the pukapuka that we need more of in our libraries, with a particular focus on increasing our Māori and Pacific collections. Many New Zealand publishers are already doing amazing work creating Māori and Pasifika books, and we wanted to play a part too. The books we’ve published so far focus on te reo Māori and Pasifika languages and storytelling, often with a local angle. They promote literacy and help ensure that our libraries continue to be places of belonging for all Aucklanders. We follow a unique partnership approach, collaborating with local communities to create stories and working closely with publishing partners to bring these stories to life. Most recently, Auckland Council Libraries joined The Publishers Association of New Zealand / Te Rau o Tākupu as a me