Month: October 2021

Tokelau Language Week

A bit late to the party, but a party it will be! It is Tokelau Language Week right through until Saturday.

This year’s theme for Te vaiaho o te Gagana Tokelau is Tokelau! Tapui tau gagana ma tau aganuku, i te manaola ma te lautupuola which means Tokelau! Preserve your language and culture, to enhance spiritual and physical wellbeing.

This reflects the overarching 2021 Pacific Language Week theme of Wellbeing, by linking the importance of language to overall wellbeing.

Once again, if you want to know more, we have resources here at the City Library and at the National Library here.

Celebrate and connect online by visiting the official NZ Tokelau Language Week Facebook page!

You can find even more information here at the Ministry for Pacific Peoples website.

Below is a short introduction to the Tokelauan language. You can view it online or download it to your device.

Zoom in to Local History Week talks

Image depicts logo for Local History Week 2021 with image of the Women's Rest Art Deco building painted white, red and green.

This year Palmerston North celebrates 150 years and Local History Week is one of many celebrations and times of reflection taking place across the city in 2021. This year the Local History Week programme has been modified due to COVID-19 Alert level restrictions, and our very popular lunchtime talks will be delivered via Zoom.

MONDAY 1 NOVEMBER, 12.30-1.30pm:

Our Party of the Century Presented by Margaret Tennant, Historian An illustrated talk on the city’s centennial celebrations of 1971.

TUESDAY 2 NOVEMBER, 12.30-1.30pm:

Himatangi Beach – From the Car Shed to the Water’s Edge Presented by Tony Rasmussen, Historian Discover why Himatangi Beach did not develop to the extent expected by its earliest promoters.

WEDNESDAY 3 NOVEMBER, 12.30-1.30pm:

The Hawke’s Bay Earthquake, and the ‘canvas towns’ of Palmerston North Showgrounds and Awapuni Racecourse Presented by Leanne Croon Hickman, Historian

You must register in advance for the talks by contacting the Heritage team heritage@pncc.govt.nz. A link to each Zoom session will be sent to you.

Digital help sessions

We are reintroducing digital help sessions, but with some differences.

You can book in a session by going here to have some help in the Central Library or you can email or phone us if you need help.

Contact us at pncl@pncc.govt.nz, phone us on 351 4100 or message us on Facebook @PalmerstonNorthCityLibrary.

We can try and help you that way or maybe we can try and arrange a Zoom meeting with you to try and help solve your digital questions.

Bird of the Year

This year you can vote for Bird of the Year from 18th-31st of October. Who would you choose – would it be a kiwi, kākāpō, kea or the surprise entry of the long-tailed bat pekapeka-tou-roa?

If you have trouble deciding on who you will vote for, have a look at the many great bird books and magazines we have in our library and online.

You can vote here Bird of the Year 2021 | Bird of the Year

Niue Language Week

Don’t forget that it is Faahi Tapu he Vagahau Niue this week – also known as Niue Language Week.

This year’s theme is Kia Tupuolaola e Moui he Tagata Niue which translates as May the Tagata Niue Thrive.

Kia tupuolaola e moui he Tagata Niue reminds us of the importance of our Pacific languages and cultures. It also reminds us how they contribute to spiritual, emotional, physical and social wellness for prosperity and wealth in the home, community and nation.

Want to know more? We have resources here at the City Library and have also found more at the National Library here.

Celebrate and connect online by visiting the official Facebook page here.

If you’d like a short introduction to the Niuean language then check out our language card PDF below. View it online or download it to your device.

Nonofo ā mutolu kia

Did you know? Bibliosmia

The smell of a good book

“The best sense about a wonderful book is that sensation of bibliosmia.”

As defined in the Macmillan Dictionary, though as yet not an official entry in the Oxford English Dictionary. That magnificent smell you get from a book. Whether it is new or old, if you love the smell – that’s bibliosmia!

Photo by Siora Photography on Unsplash

The Front Line WWII photo exhibition

image depicts historical scene of world war two soldiers at ease, crouched in grass while eating tinned food for Christmas dinner.

Visit the second floor of the central library to view a selection of images from New Zealand military historian Glyn Harper’s latest book, which features unpublished images of New Zealander’s in World War II.

Mango Languages

Time to learn something new – why not learn a new language?

Mango use an engaging interface and interactive tools to deliver conversational skills and valuable cultural information, with memory-building exercises to help remember a new language. And it’s fun and free with your library card!

Start here and sign up, ya mangy cur! 🏴‍☠️ Yarrr!

Also look for the mobile app in the Apple or Android app stores.

October School holidays

Due to COVID Alert Level 2 we have had to do things a little differently for these school holidays. But that doesn’t mean we are not providing the same level of fun and entertainment! At the Central Library, we have some Grab and Go activity packs, which include a range of different crafts and a special cool writing activity.

The Community Libraries are also providing some fun these holidays, with most libraries doing Grab and Go crafts or activity packs. Awapuni Library is also offering the writing activity. Ashhurst Library is bringing back an old favourite with Ashhurst Adventures, where you follow a map taking you on a tour of Ashhurst to hunt special lettered tiles.

Lastly, every location is doing a little mystery activity of Who stole the cookies from the cookie jar. Each day of the first week of the holidays we are putting up clues to who stole our cookies. These clues are also published on our Palmerston North City Library Facebook page.

Quilt

Have you noticed the beautiful quilt on the wall on the Mezzanine floor? This quilt is made by Pam Eastcott who has made every quilt we have had in our library in the last few years – they have all been very impressive!

These quilts take an interesting journey to get in our library. They are dropped off at the Roslyn Library and then placed carefully in a book bin. They are then brought into the Central Library via our library courier where staff member Robyn arranges to get them hung up on display – I guess you can say it’s a real team effort!

This quilt is made up of lots of vibrant Kaffe Fassett prints Pam has collected or been given over the years.

Many people have admired this quilt while we have had it this month, as with all her other quilts. Thanks Pam, you do a fabulous job and we all look forward to seeing what we get next!