Out of Reach: the forbidden bookshelf

Events continue at Johnsonville, Karori and Central Library: join Lynne Jackett, Iona McNaughton, Don Long and others after school this week as they read banned books. The Kids' events page has full details.

Out of Reach - the forbidden bookshelf

Wellington City Libraries in partnership with the Wellington branch of the NZ Society of Authors are running a week long programme from Monday 25 February to Friday 29 February that seeks to highlight the occurrence of banning, sanitising and challenging children's books both here and internationally.

Books that have been banned or challenged around the world will be on display at Johnsonville, Karori, Newtown, Kilbirnie and Central libraries. Children attending class visits will be involved in discussions about whether certain books should ever have been banned or restricted in the first place. The main events for the week are a programme of readings from banned or challenged books by well known children's book writers, illustrators and librarians, and a celebrity debate: "Not enough children's books are banned in New Zealand".

Programme details are available on our kids' Events page, along with short biographies of the authors, librarians, Members of Parliament and illustrators involved in the readings and debate.

Wadestown Library to close for upgrading

Wadestown library will be closed from Wednesday 27 February to Saturday 1 March so new mobile shelving can be installed. The shelves will allow more space for library and community events.

While the library is closed, users can return books through the after-hours slot. The Friday story time session will be held at Karori Library at 10.30am. Reserved items can be collected from Cummings Park Library, Ottawa Road, Ngaio.

The Community Co-ordinator's office will be closed, but you can still contact her on 499 1825.

The library will reopen on Monday 3 March at 10am. We apologise for any inconvenience.

For further details please contact: Karl Gaskin or Jill Spackman on 479 2344.

New Zealand's 4th Most Popular Folk Parody Duo

In this month's DVD recent picks you'll find Season One of the Flight of the Conchords TV show; plus, learn how Star Trek and its poster-boy, William Shatner, inspired a generation of scientists in 'How William Shatner Changed the World'. (The original Motorola cell phone, affectionately called "the brick", was inspired by the classic Star Trek communicator...) Also included this month, 'Perfume', 'Becoming Jane', 'Knocked Up', 'The Bourne Ultimatum', 'SherryBaby' and more.

The art of simple food

The art of simple food, kitchen chronicles from an undercover food critic, how to cook everything vegetarian (with vegan options), bistro cooking at home and Italian food - all in our cooking recent picks this month.

Previously,

"Do you know what Jack was doing before he climbed the beanstalk? Or what Jack and Jill were arguing about before they went up the hill? And what happened before that? This book helps you find out what your favourite storybook characters were up to previously - because every story, every person and everything started somewhere!" (Amazon)

'Previously', by Alan Ahlberg is one of our picture book recent picks this month, along with Captain Pugwash, Raymond Briggs's 'Father Christmas', a horde of rascally rodents and some very stubborn mules. Have a look!

Te Ra o Waitangi: Waitangi Day

Celebrate Waitangi Day in Waitangi Park at the Wellington City Libraries Story Tent, featuring a series of marvellous Maui myths that will enthral all ages told by storyteller and writer Moira Wairama.

Telling Times:

12.15 Maui finds his whanau and the Jawbone
12.45 How Maui used the Jawbone
1.15 Maui makes mischief

The Details:

When? Wednesday 6 February 2008

Where? Waitangi Park

Also check out our pathways to Whakapapa research

Extreme pumpkins

Our craft recent picks bring you metal clay jewellery, a full-colour guide to pumpkin carving that's truly frightening, quilted bags and totes and Japanese quilt blocks.

Hedgehog warriors and winged skeletons

This month our science fiction & fantasy recent picks feature apocalyptic worlds of magic and technology. Alien faster-than-light drives with dubious ethical origins, an earth riddled with tunnels that penetrate its depths and send demons boiling up through our subways and basements, alternate realities ruled by powerful, mafia-like families, and magical kingdoms with lyrical names deserted by all but a few residents. "From the Lake of the Dead and the City of Marrow, to the artists who remain behind in a ghost city of spice, here are stories of hedgehog warriors and winged skeletons, loyal leopards and sparrow calligraphers."

Purposeful, Original and Pithy

In our January management recent picks - create a message that stands out with POP, survive a downturn and use best practice to prepare a winning bid or proposal.

Why eating bogeys is good for you...

"Ever wondered why we have tonsils? What's the best way to cure hiccups? And if kangaroos keep babies in their pouches, what happens to all the poo? Mitchell Symons answers all these wacky questions and plenty more in 'Why eating bogeys is good for you... and other crazy facts explained'." Got a weird, wacky or wonderful question? Get it answered in our January kids' non-fiction recent picks.

Boys get anorexia too

In our health recent picks this month read the life stories of six teenagers with Asperger Syndrome and how they feel AS has shaped their lives so far, master the art of running and read Jenny Langley's account of how anorexia affects boys/men too. "A much needed resource for other parents in similar situations."

Library hours - temporary changes

All our libraries will be closed for Wellington Anniversary Day on Monday 21 January 2008. Libraries will resume normal hours on Tuesday 22 January.

Cummings Park Library will be closed for refurbishment from Saturday 26th January to Saturday 2nd February. For more information, see the CPk branch library pages

Sir Edmund Hillary, 1919-2008

In some ways I believe I epitomise the average New Zealander: I have modest abilities, I combine these with a good deal of determination, and I rather like to succeed. -- Sir Edmund Hillary

These very self-effacing and unassuming words embody Sir Edmund Hillary who died today, aged 88. A New Zealand icon, he shot to fame in 1953 with his and climbing partner Tenzing Norgay's ascent of Everest.

Wellington City Libraries has collected a page of resources on Sir Edmund Hillary. These include a link to The Times' 1953 article, Everest Conquered : Hillary And Tensing Reach The Summit, written after the news of his and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay's successful climb spread around the world (to access the article you'll need to log in with your library card number and surname). You'll also find many books and website links about this 20th century New Zealand legend on our Kids' Catalogue.

Churchill and Roosevelt

The war in Sicily and Italy 1943-44, America and the Korean War, the origin of the term 'Iron curtain', the Royal Navy in 1758, Indian England, the Goths and the 4.4 million year-old story of human history (just briefly in 612 pages), are among the subjects of our latest history picks.

Bloodthirsty long-dead forests and manifold minions

Legendary heroes, ancient evils, a poet-sorceror, deadly assassins, dragons, untold destruction and eternal darkness - all in our latest science fiction and fantasy picks. Plus, book two of The Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant from Stephen Donaldson, and the next book in Naomi Novik's Temeraire series (imagine the Napoleonic war with an aerial corps of dragons...).

Pirate dinosaurs, boxes that aren't boxes, and the cow that laid an egg

Majorie the cow who laid an egg, Charlie and Lola on a snow day, pirate dinosaurs, a Russian fairytale, a magical box and a girl who's afraid of Santa Claus - see our children's picture book picks for some of our new favourites.

Pirates, blind faith, and songs without words

Amongst our contemporary fiction recent picks this month you'll find: two friends and childhood neighbours facing an unforeseen calamity, a canary yellow Mustang convertible and a treacherous hitchhiker, men at war on the edge of the great southern desert in Mesopotamia in 3157 B.C, and a small-time TV star with a mile-wide ego.

Jewelry, crochet and contemporary knitting

In our craft recent picks for January we feature Ruth Lee's book, 'Contemporary Knitting'. Definitely not your grandmother's knitting book - unless your grandmother happens to be a cool, creative textile artist! Materials used include: insulated wire, paper yarn, plastics, rope, elastics, and even regular knitting yarn. Also featured this month: crocheted fibre necklaces and bracelets, ideas for scrapbooking sporting adventures, baby knits, and 22 patterns for handbags, totes, and carry-alls to knit and crochet from 20 top knitwear designers.

We wish you a Merry Christmas

Wishing you a merry Christmas and a happy and safe New Year's break, from all the staff at Wellington City Libraries. The library will be closed for Christmas Day, Boxing Day (open again after Christmas on Thursday the 27th), Sunday the 30th December (open Monday the 31st), and Tuesday the 1st and Wednesday the 2nd of January. You can find our holiday hours here on our website. Happy holidays!