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.

Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori - Māori Language Week

Hastings Libraries are celebrating Te Reo this week. If you visit the Library you may hear Te Reo over the loud-speaker, waiata being sung, or you may see signs which have been translated into Māori.

Look out for:


Raranga Atu (Weave On) exhibition in Hastings Library in Hastings Library from Monday 21 July until Monday 11 August. Also some items being displayed in Havelock North & Flaxmere Libraries.

(See photo for just some of the awesome items on display).

Presenting Raranga art from various artists including:

Te Amokura Griggs
Candy Carroll
Ngaturu Paprahi
Mariana Tiopira
Te Muri Whaanga
Marth Hampton
Moana Ngarimu
Jan McKenzie
Steve Hancy
Tauira o Te Wananga o Raukawa

Waiata were performed on Friday lunchtime at Hastings Library by Council staff from two Te Reo classes.

Display: Mary O'Neill Doll Museum

"Before and During Art Deco Times"

On display in Hastings Library are dolls from The Mary O'Neill Doll Museum, including:

* A pair of dolls from 1890 - 1915

* Bridget and the gingerbread man - 1930s

* Josephine in her car - 1930s

See more at the Mary O'Neill Doll Museum virtual tour: http://home.clear.net.nz/pages/ta.me/

Ethics Through Sport

HB Olympians and people from the community involved in the coaching and administration of sport attended the event “Ethics through Sport” held at the library on Tuesday 16th October. Murray Gilbertson, the CEO of Hastings District Council, spoke about the importance of sport, both to the individual and to society. Charles Callis from the Olympic Museum in Wellington spoke about the Museum’s part in New Zealand’s sporting performances overseas, and the role of the Museum itself in Wellington where they keep and preserve archival information and sporting history.

They then showed an “Ethics through Sport” DVD which has been added to the DVD collection at Hastings Library.

Photo Exhibition at Havelock North Library

Pass it on...During October there was an exhibition of photographs by Josefine Beech at Havelock North Library. In the artist's own words, "images capturing those fragile moments of people's everyday lives".

Hastings Blossom Festival

Hastings has celebrated Spring with a Blossom Festival since 1950.

During this year's Blossom Festival week (Sept 14-23) we had a display in Hastings Library showing the history of the festival, and featured copies of the Hawke's Bay Photo News from this era.

Please ask at the Reference Desk upstairs to see our issues of the Photo News. We do have some gaps in our collection, so if you have any copies of the Hawke's Bay Photo News we would love to have them.

See also the new page on the library website: http://www.hastingsdc.govt.nz/libraries/blossom_festival.htm