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What's the Story?

What's the Story?

Story Blog
Monday 25 May – Friday 28 May 2009

For year 7-13.

We'll supply the first sentence, you tell us the rest! Add on to the story by submitting up to 200 words. Submissions used go in a draw to win a prize package!

Bookish Betsy and the Craft Blog

If I wasn’t so busy working all day, I would spend my time admiring Craft Blogs.

Craft Blogs are this amazing thing; people (mostly women to be fair) all over the world celebrating the same thing - not just craft, but the whole beautiful art of domesticity. The best blogs share their craft ideas and projects, along with their everyday activities, their favourite new recipes, books, music, all the while championing the delights of domestic traditions.

Alicia Paulson, who has a very popular Craft Blog, Posie Gets Cozy, has just published a new book, Stitched in Time, equally as beautiful and inspiring as her blog. If you love crafting and are looking for some fresh ideas, this gorgeous book is a must. And, if you haven’t yet discovered the world of craft blogs, then Alicia’s home page would be a great place to start.

Bookish Betsy

P.S. If you are already a follower of Craft Blogs, do let me know your favourites!

The book mentioned, Stitched in Time: memory-keeping projects from the creator of Posie Gets Cozy, can be found at Havelock North Library in Adult Non-Fiction 746.4 PAU.

Earthy Else flicks the switch for EARTH HOUR

Hi, I’m Elsie.

My colleagues like to call me “Earthy Elsie”, or occasionally when they are really trying to make the point, they go so far as to call me “Earth Mother”. I just laugh – because it’s true that I really do care about the earth, and I am not afraid to declare it to the world.

Did you know that this Saturday 28 March from 8.30pm – 9.30pm is EARTH HOUR?

Earth Hour is a global crusade to take control of the future of our planet. By switching off your lights (and any other unneeded appliances) on Saturday night you will be joining the world-wide campaign to show that you care about our earth’s sustainability.

If you don’t fancy being alone in the dark, there is a celebration of Earth Hour at Hawke’s Bay Opera House Plaza from 7pm. It sounds like fun.

Wherever you are on Saturday night, I do so hope that your lights are off.

Elsie

Library Live! Hits the Airwaves!

Tune in to the new Library Live programme on Radio Kidnappers - 1431 AM.

Catch up with library news, interviews, book reviews, happenings and more.

Library Live! will be on air on the 2nd Friday each month, at 4pm.

New items received in the Libraries

Would you like to browse lists of new items received in your favourite collection? For example new DVDs, Mysteries etc?

Click here to go to the New Items - by Collection page on the Catalogue, for recently received books, DVDs, CDs listed by collection.

• There is also a link to this page from the left hand menu of the Catalogue, under Recently Received Items.
• Plus a Newly Received button at the top left of this page.
• Depending on the size of the collection, pages can sometimes be slow to load.
• As usual, you may place reserves from the lists using your library card number and PIN number.

Art Deco Fun at Hastings District Libraries

Art Deco Week(end) is a special time in Napier and Hastings, remembering the rebuilding of the cities after the disastrous 1931 earthquake. Along with many other buildings, the original Hastings Library was destroyed in the 1931 Quake (with loss of life), so it is fitting to celebrate the endurance and faith in the future of those who rebuilt our cities.

Art Deco week brought out a new look for library staff dress code. Don't they look just divine?

Above: L - R Carla, Luana, Nigel, Hannah, Karen, Deana and Brett
Below: L - R Sherylina, Deana, Barbara, Luana, Nigel, Madelon, Brett and Diane

Bookish Betsy's New Year Resolutions

I often romanticize about what it would be like to have Christmas in winter. Rugged up in front of the fire, or at the window impatiently watching for snow, before sitting down to a hearty rich dinner, surrounded by a jolly bunch of family and friends….yes, it is the thing that dreams and classic novels are made of.

On the other hand though, I think we folk down-under have got it made when it comes to New Year’s celebrations. I can’t imagine the strike of midnight on New Year’s without those key ingredients; smarting sunburn, the warm flat dregs of a beer, sand fly bites, and raucous fun.

And those heady New Year’s resolutions made after too much sunshine, chocolate and good times are what keep life spicy – or so I thought. The only problem is I never seem to actually achieve my great and zany aspirations. So, this year, in a bid to be able to tick some boxes on New Year’s Eve, I have kept my list simple.

Resolution 1: Make my resolutions realistic

As I made my hurried book choices at work before heading off for my camping trip this summer, I happened upon two books that were so inspirational they have become the basis for this year’s resolutions, and somehow with them in hand my aspirations are less wacky than usual.

Resolution 2: Learn to run

After reading Kerre Woodham’s brave and colourful account of marathon running in Short Fat Chick to Marathon Runner, I have become obsessed with the idea that I too could bypass any impending crisis by taking up running. I am stretching and flexing my muscles in anticipation as we speak – and am seriously considering the Triple Peaks. Woodham is so enthusiastic and convincing that I am even toying with the idea of ditching my baggy exercise gear for some sleek lycra running garb. I swear she said it was the thing that got her through. Step by slow step, fully clad in fluorescent lycra, I will forge ahead – no doubt providing ample entertainment for on-lookers as I go.

Resolution 3: Learn to love cooking

It is not enough to love cook books, it is now time to move on to producing the goods with some passion and aplomb. Ladies, A Plate: Traditional Home Baking by Alexa Johnston, with its beautiful pictures and old-school recipes, has got me all fired up to become the queen of kiwi baking. I am a great fan of keeping domestic traditions alive, so I will graciously do my bit. I do fancy the idea of becoming a reputed lamington and custard-square creator, and the fact that there will be treats at the end, somehow makes the goal more manageable!

Summer Reading Programme finale

The Summer Reading Programmes have now finished, with exciting finale programmes and prize givings.

Congratulations to all the children who took part. Well done and thanks for coming in and telling us about your favourite books.

Thanks to the Children's Librarians and their helpers who organised the programmes too.

Above: Cherry the Clown entertained over 300 children at the Hastings Library finale party.

Superheroes in Hastings Library

Photo: Our Superhero Children's Librarians and student staff members are ready to welcome you. Wear your own costume when you call to report in if you wish - applies to the kids too, Mums and Dads!

Hi everyone. Report-ins are going well, although today, being Christmas Eve, is a little quieter.

Remember, if you didn't get a chance to register, children can still come to the entertainment programmes running through the school holidays. We'd love to see you. Details are on the library website

Help! Someone is stuck in the chimney

Havelock North Library looks very Christmassy with a new fireplace, complete with stockings on the mantlepiece.

But look...there's some boots in the fireplace and legs in a red suit. It's not Superman because there's fur around the boots. Now we wonder who that could be?

Maybe the Havelock North children might guess when they call in to choose some holiday reading. Maybe, if they talk (quietly - this is a library) to Santa while he busy climbing down the chimney, he may hear their requests for presents... but only if they have been verrry good and read lots of books! This is a literary Santa.

Super Readers Reporting In

The Summer Reading programmes are well under way, with our keen Super Readers calling into the libraries to report their progress to our Super Librarians. The Children's Sections are looking super cool. Above is the Flaxmere Library report-in area - well worth a visit. As school winds down for the year, children can really get into reading for pleasure.

Bookish Betsy Wraps up Christmas

Christmas is by far my favourite time of year.

Although my life is a frenzy of activity at the best of times, Christmas is the one occasion when the frenzy really comes through with the goods. Somehow the Christmas spirit of giving allows me to really unleash my creative side. Surrounded by burning festive candles, listening to good music, and sampling the Christmas sherry (just a little), I am one of Santa’s most enthusiastic helpers.

Ah, the Christmas gifts, the Christmas baking, the Christmas cards I have created in my whirlwind of goodwill and joy.

At Hastings District Libraries we have some great titles that will help you too unleash your inner Christmas elf.

Here is my recipe for a joyous pre-Christmas frenzy:

1. Set the scene with good Christmas music with -

Absolute Best Christmas Album in the World…ever!
Accents: Christmas harp with gentle accompaniment O Come All Ye Faithful – featuring Kings College ChoirHandel’s Messiah – featuring the Mormon Tabernacle Choir

2. Sing while you gather inspiration from -

Tree top Decorations – Emma Hardy
Wreath making for the first time – Pat Poce & Deon Gooch
300 ways to make the best Christmas ever! – Mimi Tribble
Christmas cards: 100 fast & festive cards & tags – Elizabeth Moad
Christmas Details – Mary Norden

3. Pull out the baking tins and create with -

Christmas - Good Housekeeping Institute
Christmas – Australian Women’s Weekly
Classic and contemporary Christmas Cakes – Nadene Hurst
Christmas Made Easy – Mary Cadogan
Celebration: the Christmas Recipes you must have – Kitchen Classics

4. Take a compulsory stop to breath in the pine tree goodness, the baking smells, and admire your creations

5. Reach for the Christmas issue of your favourite magazine and/or add a good Christmas movie to the blend. Try -

It’s a wonderful World
Love Actually
The Family Man
The Grinch Who Stole Christmas
The Christmas Specials from The Office & The Vicar of Dibley

6. Christmas is ready and wrapped. ENJOY!

You may have noticed library staff wearing unusual footwear on Friday. All three libraries took part in staff competitions for the best decorated jandals for National Jandal Day, with our gold coin donations going towards Surf Life Saving. More at http://www.nationaljandalday.co.nz/

The overall winning jandals were the Pavlova creation by Raewyn from Havelock Library - very ingenious. Look out WOW! See the display case in Hastings Library.

Photo - some of the Hastings jandals - most were conventional and entered two feet but we had an odd right foot entered.

iRead Teens Programme

This Summer Reading Programme is for teens 12+.

Enrolments for the Teens iRead Programme are now full in all three libraries.

If you missed out, keep reading anyhow. Call into the three libraries and check out the cool books in the Young Adult sections.

Be a Super Reader!

Be a Super Reader these summer holidays!

Enrolment are starting very soon for the Summer Reading Programmes.

This year we are excited to be introducing Pānui anō ngā Hautiua - our Te Reo component.

See the library website for more information - http://www.hastingslibrary.co.nz

Sorry - Havelock North programme now full. Some places left in Hastings & Flaxmere Libraries but be in quickly.

Bookish Betsy grapples with the Graphic Novel

Things have been a bit quiet in my world of late. “Why?” you ask. Well, it’s all because of the Graphic Novel. I simply have no time at all for real life now that I have found this new genre of book.

To tell you the truth, until recently I had no idea what a Graphic Novel was. It sounded quite wicked though. Recently I realised that my prudish sensibilities had left me missing out on a whole new aspect of popular culture. Graphic Novels, like their close relatives Comic Strips before them, have a BIG following and I may be one of the last to catch on.

My taste in graphic novels perhaps veers a little from the norm. Asterix and Obelix, with their rock wielding antics, are about as dangerous and dark as I go. But thankfully, in this world there is room for all tastes, and just lately I have found some incredible Graphic Novels that are thoughtful, funny, moving and sad – just how I like a good book. Ethel and Earnest by Raymond Briggs and Jimmy Corrigan: the Smartest Kid on Earth by award winning Chris Ware, are my current favourites. These tales, told in both picture and work, are so stark, vivid, and beautiful in their exploration of the human condition that I am converted for life.

If you are still wondering what a Graphic Novel is, or if you have not yet found our fabulous Graphic Novel collections, please feel free to ask one of your friendly librarians next time you visit.

NZ Premier of An Independent Mind

To mark Courage Day Hastings Library hosted the New Zealand premier of An Independent Mind, a 90 minutes documentary directed by Rex Bloomstein, featuring eight free speech heroes and villains from around the world, asserting their rights to express themselves. The telling of this documentary is designed to encourage people to reflect on the importance of freedom of expression with all its attendant complexities, challenges and limits.

Courage Day (15 November) marked the International Day of the Imprisoned Writer. See The New Zealand Society of Authors website http://www.authors.org.nz/

Movies at the Muni - history talk

At the Landmarks History Group on Tuesday 11 November Michael Fowler talked about "Moving pictures in the Hastings Municipal Theatre".

The "The Reel Story: A history of Napier and Hastings Cinemas 1896 - 1996" by Michael Fowler and David Turnbull also had it's Hastings launch at this meeting.

The Landmarks History Group have held a very interesting series of talks this year in the library. Read more at their website: http://www.hastingsdc.govt.nz/sites/localhistory/.

Also the Landmarks History Group Blog gives a more in-depth account of each speaker and their topics.