Auckland Libraries blog

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 Karen from

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 .

Karen and Louisa celebrate the 50th anniversary of Books & Beyond with a stroll through past shows, bloopers, and the ones that got away, plus a dip into the Auckland Libraries Top 100 and Great Summer Read . Listen to this episode on the Auckland Libraries SoundCloud . Books mentioned in the show Body parts: essays on life-writing by Hermione Lee Galileo’s middle finger: heretics, activists, and the search for justice in science by Alice Dreger Winter eyes by Harry Ricketts Murray’s Handbook for Scotland (1894)  The trauma cleaner: one woman’s extraordinary life in death, decay and disaster by Sarah Krasnostein The Pacific: in the wake of Captain Cook with Sam Neill Navigators & naturalists: French exploration of New Zealand and the Pacific (1769-1824) by Michale Lee  Authors mentioned in the show Jojo Moyes Liane Moriarty Nicky Pellegrino Catherine Robertson Auckland Libraries' radio show Books and Beyond explores the world of boo