Author: Daniel Straman

‘Belonging’

‘Belonging’ is a photographic exhibition created by Aline Frey. The City Library was lucky enough to display this exhibition after the grand opening at The Globe before some pictures were put on display at Square Edge Arts Centre to be part of a larger display to celebrate International Women’s Day.

‘Belonging’ celebrates 10 women, who like Aline, emigrated to Palmerston North. This exhibition represented women from all about the world, and showcased them as women, not the roles they play such as being mothers or their jobs.

All stories can be found on Manawatū Heritage at: https://manawatuheritage.pncc.govt.nz/collections/486e958f-767e-4b7c-919b-97aa9a8c5b41

Read on for the full article…

Aline Frey captures the diversity of Palmerston North City through the portraits of ten women from across the globe who have made Palmerston North their home

Belonging is a basic desire of all human beings. Almost all of us want to belong to a family, a community, a place, a country, or a nation. For some, belonging can be an effortless, automated feeling, but for others, it can be a roller coaster of emotions, challenges and experiences. Regardless of how different each other’s journeys to belonging are, belonging itself is a most beautiful feeling.  A feeling to be home. Through her portraits of women from Palmerston North, Aline Frey captures the feeling of belonging.  

Palmerston North City Library hosted the opening of the ‘Belonging’ photo exhibition created by Aline Frey in the Globe Theatre. The exhibition highlights the portraits of 10 women accompanied by their stories. The common thread that connect these women together is a sense of belonging, Hononga, and Pertencimento.

After the opening it was displayed at the City Library for 2 weeks before some photos were moved to be on display at Square Edge Arts Centre to be part of a larger display to celebrate International Women’s Day.

Aline was inspired to create this exhibition due to her own experiences coming from Brazil and comparing what other women do to feel they belong here. She wanted to find out from other women about their experiences and how it compared to her own, and to find strategies to help others in the community feel connected. She discovered people found their own ways to relate to their new environment whether it be from connections with things such as food, music or friends. It was discovered that sharing their journey, finding those connections and becoming part of the community helped them feel less lonely and isolated.

The generous ladies who shared their stories for this exhibition were found from word of mouth. Aline wanted it to represent every corner of the world. The exhibition gave the women an opportunity to feel proud of themselves and share what was important to them, their journey of finding Palmerston North their home and the shared experiences of belonging.

Aline particularly wanted to focus on women as themselves; not just as mothers, or teachers, or daughters, but above all as themselves. She felt sometimes women were forgotten about and were only thought about as the roles that they play.

By sharing their stories and uploading them to online heritage platform Manawatū Heritage it enables their story to be preserved for their Grandchildren to learn about them, where they came from and how they learnt to belong in their new community. She wanted them to be proud of their stories.

Palmerston North is a very Global community and the exhibition features women from across the globe.  Olivia from Vietnam, Flavia from Brazil, Natsuko from Japan, Megan from Zimbabwe, Jaspreet from India, Marylon from United States, Eunice from Scotland, Lai Bar from Myanmar, Doris from Nigeria and Poto from Samoa.

Aline said that “I am the photographer and the inspiration behind this exhibition, but to create it involved a whole community. Without the extensive teamwork it wasn’t possible. Leslie from the library and Maria’s support kept me going. The teamwork made it a dreamwork.”

These stories can be found on Manawatū Heritage here: https://manawatuheritage.pncc.govt.nz/collections/486e958f-767e-4b7c-919b-97aa9a8c5b41

Library Hack: Free ebooks!

“Free and liberated ebooks, carefully produced for the true book lover.”

Read the classics for free online or download to your own device as professionally-formatted ebooks.

Standard Ebooks are a volunteer based platform who source digitally transcribed books, proofread and professionally design and typeset them for your reading pleasure.

From Winnie-the-Pooh to Sherlock Holmes, they have it all. Or something a little more epic like Tolstoy or Shakespeare, then look no further!

@libraryhacks are a new series of technology and library related tips to help make your life easier – look out for them.

Library Hack: Photo ID copying

Here’s a great tip if you need to scan or photocopy both sides of your photo ID onto a single page. This works on all our library copiers and will save you time messing about with multiple pages.

Look for the ID Card Copy option on the photocopier, then place your ID on the top-left of the copier screen, hit the green Start button (you won’t see anything print yet…) Then flip your ID over, hit Start again, and voila! Out will pop a copy of your ID with both sides on one page.

@libraryhacks are a new series of technology and library related tips to help make your life easier – look out for them.

Library Hacks: Google sign in super tip

Here’s a cool tip to save you a few precious seconds when signing in to your Google account.

Did you you know that you don’t have to type in the @gmail.com part of your email address to sign in?!

So if your email address is samsmith2468@gmail.com just enter samsmith2468 and then your password. So easy!

Remember, this only works for Google/Gmail accounts.

@libraryhacks are a new series of technology and library related tips to help make your life easier – look out for them.

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.

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

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.

City Library mobile app

hand holding mobile phone with city library app on screen

Explore the library and manage your account. Search the catalogue for items to borrow and reserve. View and renew items you have checked out. Access e-books and other online resources. Read the latest library news and check upcoming events.

Search for Palmerston North City Library in your app store. Available for Apple and Android devices.

Get your learning on!

The Great Courses bring you the best in online education with videos and lectures by the world’s greatest professors.

Available from the Kanopy streaming service, FREE with your library membership.

If you already use Kanopy then you’ll be pleased to know the Great Courses do not count towards your viewing credits.

And if you don’t use Kanopy, you probably don’t know that you have access to over 30,000 amazing movies for FREE! What are you waiting for?!?!

Click here and enjoy learning…