Books to Babies

Congratulations to Isobel, a five-month-old library member from Karori, who won our Books to Babies competition. Wellington City Libraries have been running Books to Babies since 2001. Every new baby in the Wellington region receives a gift of a book and information about the library.

For parents

Our featured parenting books include titles on vegetarian pregnancies, dealing with tweenies, teaching teenagers to drive, Montessori activities, baby showers and bullying. We recommend some more websites including NZ's Child Forum and TKI's page for parents.

NZ company info

We have a new webpage on New Zealand company information. There is general information and weblinks, plus sections for jobseekers, philanthropists/fundraisers and investors.

New teen books

More books and reviews here

Malicious reality

East Timor, ancient Greece and Rome, the meeting of the British First Fleet and aboriginal Australians in 1788, Stalingrad and Victorian London are among the topics of our latest history books. In 'Treason in Tudor England: politics and paranoia,' Lacey Baldwin Smith argues that the Tudor English had a mania for conspiracy.

Moral imperatives

Pin-up girls, globalisation, fast food, elite colleges, fundamentalism and global warming are among the topics of our latest popular non-fiction. 'Clarkson on cars' promises to be irreverent and funny. 'Ancient marks: the sacred origins of tattoos and body marking' is a gorgeous or disturbing coffee-table book, depending on your sensibilities.

New movie and TV books

New books about Firefly, Little Britain and legendary CBS newsman Edward R. Murrow are featured on our movie page. We also recommend the novel 'Point blank' (made into the John Boorman thriller starring Lee Marvin) and graphic novel 'A history of violence' (made into the David Cronenberg film starring Viggo Mortensen).

Radio show Saturday 4th

"Music Ad Lib", hosted by our own library staff music enthusiasts, airs monthly on Access Radio at 4.30pm for 30 minutes. Our November 4th show features upbeat pop music.

Holiday publishing season is here

All of a sudden, heaps of bestsellers are arriving (and the free lending copies are available for reserve). Next week there'll be many more big names; I'm keeping them secret until they arrive :)

Debunk the jargon

Good childhood nutrition, hormones, food combining, ADHD, your miraculous back and yoga are among the subjects of our new health books. 'You don't have to be famous to have manic depression: an insider's guide to mental health' is an entertaining dialogue on depression by a sufferer and his doctor.

Sigurd and Brynhild's doomed love

Our latest literature recent picks include books on Greek literature, Norse-Icelandic mythological and heroic poetry, humour by Nora Ephron, and a treasury for book addicts. We also feature literature documentaries on DVD and CD.

Half-robot, half-cockroach

DVDs Cars, Over the hedge, Atlantis: Milo returns and The Muppets' Wizard of Oz are featured in our new kid's AV picks.

Selfish and devious Belle

The violent, vengeful world of rap music, a media frenzy, sordid back alleys, pious power brokers, Moroccan terrorists and a 1924 Guy Fawkes fete feature in our new mysteries. Murder is everywhere, even at a needlework show.

Knitting for the pampered baby

Cashmere, mohair, angora, sequin, eyelash fringe, and faux fur. Cute caterpillar finger puppets, delightful rag dolls, a cuddly toy penguin. A cheery pink throw pillow, an ocean-blue scarf, a zippered shoulder bag. Check out our craft recent picks for help with these and more.

What's popular this month?

What's popular this month?

Which rug to choose

Our new home and garden books look at living in small spaces, permaculture, the country estates of Australia, the opulent world of the French Creole aristocracy on Martinique, Guadaloupe, Marie-Galante and Saint Martin, animal homeopathy, and Southern living. To help you prepare for Christmas we have a couple recent books on gift wrapping.

Want that book right now?

Skip the reserve queues and check out our bestseller stands. New bestsellers include the latest books by Ian Rankin, Robert Ludlum, J.D. Robb and Nicholas Sparks. There's a new Isabel Dalhousie book by Alexander McCall Smith, and if you enjoyed Michael Faber's 'The Crimson Petal and the White', you can revisit the characters with his new short story collection.

Waiting for the surf

This month's new New Zealand fiction includes books by Carl Shuker, Kirsty Gunn, Lloyd Jones and Ian Wedde. In one of Patricia Grace's new short stories, a man falls in love with a carving. In 'John Tomb's head' by Stephanie Johnson, the titular tattooed head wryly observes everyone who claims ownership.

Kumusta Kababayan!

We now have webpages in Tagalog (Filipino). Ang mga Aklatan ng Lungsod ng Wellington ay bukas sa lahat ng mga taong naninirahan sa Lungsod ng Wellington. Ang aklatan ay mayroong mahigit sa 400,000 mga libro o mga magasin, na maaaring hiramin, at karamihan nito ay walang bayad. Maaari kayong magbasa ng mga pahayagan o mag-aral sa loob ng mga aklatan.

Read about library services, resources for adults and children, careers information, joining the library and more. For information in other languages, visit our Migrant Communities Library Guide.

A just-baked tart

Baked caramel pots with strawberries and honey madeleines. Cherry frangipane. Irresistible pizzas. Yum. Also in our new cook books, grrrrowlicious food for dogs, a guide to food additives and a textbook on food and beverage service.