Author: Juliet Thomas

The Story of Home Service Deliveries

// Library News
Two women at a Home Delivery in 1975.

2022 marks 50 years of the library’s Home Service deliveries to members of the public who can’t visit because of illness, disability, limited mobility, and support. This is the story of our home service deliveries from 1972 to today.

1972

In February, a ‘Housebound’ service began as a trial, with 17 customers and 6 delivery volunteers. By November the service was made permanent.

1975

The service has six volunteer delivery drivers, 17 housebound clients, and was expanded to 3 local rest homes. The image to the right shows a home service delivery taking place in 1975 and was originally published in the Manawatū Guardian. Source: Manawatū Heritage.

1979

The talking book service was enabled by the Palmerston North Rotary Club. As part of the Rotary International 75th Jubilee project, $3,000 was donated to the Library to provide about 100 talking books (audio books) to start the scheme.

The new Talking Book kit under review by Marie Moncrieff, Librarian; William Mansfield; and Dorothy Mansfield (‘House-bound’ borrower)

Originally published in the Manawatū Evening Standard in 1979. Source: Manawatū Heritage

1988

The service was expanded to 30 volunteer drivers and 65 clients.

2003

Under the guidance of Housebound Coordinator Deon Knox, the service had 40 volunteer drivers!

2007

The service had 82 clients.

Having the Home Service is excellent for me. I don’t have any transport except taxis, so having books and a jigsaw puzzle delivered every few weeks is something I look forward to and enjoy.  I love reading, it takes you out of where you are and to wherever you’re reading about. Jigsaws are always a challenge – the harder ones are the ones I really enjoy.  Because of Covid, meeting and talking with anyone who delivers the books and puzzles hasn’t been possible but to me, the Home Service is JUST THE BEST. 

Home Service client Betty Holmes

2014

The Library’s Home Service are shared winners of Asia Award for home services and reminiscence programme.

2017

Heather Hurrell retired after 10 years as home services coordinator. In November Nora Kilpin took up the reigns as home service coordinator, and is still in the role in 2022.

The service introduced new ‘Victor’ players for the audiobooks, replacing the ‘daisy players’ that were offered to customers for long term loans. 

Home Service deliveries offer a chance to chat.

Source: Manawatū Heritage

2020

Covid-19 restrictions pause Home Service deliveries during the first lockdown of 2020. When lockdown was lifted, staff picked up more of the selecting and delivery work, to keep our clients and volunteers safe.

2022

February saw 50 years since the inception of the service, while November is 50 years since the service was an official, permanent service at Palmerston North City Library.

We welcomed back our volunteers from July.

Being an avid reader myself I have enjoyed selecting for those who otherwise might be deprived of reading material. Long may this fantastic service continue.

Home Service volunteer Annette Bolton 

I’d like to help!

Our volunteers select books according to our client’s preferences, and deliver and pick up bundles once a month, on DAY OF WEEK/ DATE. We are always happy to welcome new volunteers – to find out more contact us here.

I’m interested in receiving Home Service deliveries

If you’re unable to visit us because of illness, disability or limited mobility, and no-one else can do this for you then the Home Service may be for you. We discuss your interests and needs, and select a bundle just for you. And it’s not just books – we deliver music, DVDs and puzzles too!

Contact us by email, or call (06) 351 4100.

Meet Manawatū author Vicky Adin

// What's on

Award-winning historical fiction author Vicky Adin is coming to the library on Thursday 10 November to tell us about her New-Zealand inspired novels as part of our Writers and Readers programme.

Vicky describes herself as a genealogist in love with history and words. She loves to weave family stories and bygone days together in a way that brings the past alive. She recently won a Gold Medal in the Women’s Historical Fiction Category in The Coffee Pot Book Club Book of Year Award 2022 for Gwenna the Welsh Confectioner.

Her latest novel, Elinor, is a dual-timeline tale about discovering your roots. The story follows a rural family living in the Manawatū throughout the post-war years of the 1920s and into the Great Depression of the 1930s.

Vicky has many connections with the Manawatū. Her surname may be familiar to some. She married into a family who first came to Foxton in the 1860s. Many descendants still live in the area today. A wander around the cemetery will tell its own tale, or you could read her first book, The Disenchanted Soldier.

The Disenchanted Soldier is inspired by the true story of Daniel Adin, a British soldier fighting in the New Zealand Wars of 1864. Delve into the riveting experiences of a young British soldier in war-torn New Zealand and after, where Daniel, as patriarch and the father of World War One conscientious objectors, faces natural disasters, endures family tragedies and witnesses the birth of a nation.

We had a chat with Vicky to get the conversation started:

PNCL: Hi Vicky, please tell us a bit about yourself?

I’m a Welsh-born, Cornish-raised Kiwi. I’m also a genealogist, antique lover, wife, mother, grandmother, and all-round nosy parker. I love Mediterranean food and red wine. Fortunately, I love to cook, but I love words more. My favourite past-time is delving into the past, looking at old photos, reading old newspapers and discovering those who shaped our world.

PNCL: What inspired you to write your latest book, Elinor?

Genealogical research. It’s such a mouthful, I wish there was a simpler word for it – but I find by digging into the social aspects of the past I understand more of how New Zealand developed as a nation. Elinor is not one person; she is a compilation of many women; women who survived whatever life threw at them. The fact she lived in Manawatū and for a short time in Pahīatua, is a bonus.

PNCL: What inspired you to write your latest book, Elinor?

New Zealand is a young country by world standards. After the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, Pākehā immigrants began to arrive in their thousands to create a new way of life in an untamed land with little infrastructure. My stories reflect the everyday struggles of those immigrants to our beautiful country. Except there was nothing ordinary about how the women survived; women who rarely appear in the annals of history but who oversaw the birth of a nation and helped shape many lives. They are the people who inspire me.

PNCL: How many books have you written?

I have six books in The New Zealand Immigrant Collection – they are family sagas about overcoming the odds. Some are entirely historical, some are dual-timeline, others are contemporary novels about searching for the past. One of those stories, Gwenna the Welsh Confectioner is set in Karangahape Road at the turn of the 19th century. The other stories in the collection are The Disenchanted Soldier, The Cornish knot, Portrait of a man, Brigid : the girl from County Clare and The Costumier’s Gift.

Elinor is Book Two in a new series The Art of Secrets, a series about about finding your roots. Book 3 is due out next year.

You can meet and hear from Vicky at the Central Library, second floor, on Thursday 10 November at 10:30am. The event includes morning tea and a chance to win a prize. Please RSVP to vicky@vickyadin.co.nz

Local History Week 2022

// Library News

Local History Week 2022 runs from Sunday 30 October to Monday 7 November. It’s jam packed with opportunities for you to explore our heritage buildings in Palmy, hear from local historians, and hear from professionals who work every day to preserve our heritage – from buildings to photos, history and memories, and much more.

You can check out the programme online here, and we also have a handy brochure that you can collect from the library, or download here and print for easy reference:

2022-LHW-booklet-1Download

Some great things you might want to check out:

Dame Vera Lynn Remembered

Taking you back in time, Vicki Lee sings hits from Dame Vera Lynn. Performance will be followed by afternoon tea. Join us in the former C M Ross tearooms, now part of the City Library.

Sunday 30 October, 3-5pm / Second Floor, Central Library

Lunchtime Talks

On every weekday of Local History Week at 12noon. All are welcome! Bring your lunch, hot drinks are provided.

  • Queen Elizabeth II in Palmerston North
  • The pox, the flu and the ‘rona
  • Palmerston North’s post-Second World War transit camps, 1945-1959
  • Earning a Crust: Faces of Work in Palmerston North’s Past
  • Archives Central
  • The Process and Self-Publishing of a Memoir

Archive Tours

We have opportunities to tour the Palmerston North City Council Archive and Massey University Archives. Discover these precious historical repositories, and meet the people who preserve history every day.

Jumping Jellybeans – Jump into the past

A great one for the littlies, we celebrate local history with some fun ‘old school’ preschool activities.

Wednesday 2 November, 10 – 11am / First Floor, Central Library

Special Event: Poets on Palmy

Join us for an evening to celebrate Palmerston North Poets and poetry. Starring Manawatū poets Tim Upperton, Tim Saunders and Jo Aitchison, with special guest James Brown (ex-Palmerston North).

Thursday 3 November, 6pm / Second Floor, Central Library

Special Event: The Forgotten Coast

Richard Shaw, Massey University, explores a personal story from our bicultural history. In his book The Forgotten Coast (2021) the author tells an old family story he was never told when growing up: that his ancestors once farmed land in Taranaki confiscated from Māori and sold to his great-grandfather, who was with the Armed Constabulary when it invaded Parihaka on 5 November 1881.

Sunday 6 November, 2 – 4pm / Second Floor, Central Library

Mina McKenzie Memorial Lecture: Stories of change and innovation in the regions: Women in New Zealand museums since the 1950s

Women now run most of the significant regional museums in New Zealand, including Te Manawa, and yet the figure of the museum director at a metropolitan level remains overwhelmingly male. This illustrated lecture focuses on the role of women in New Zealand museums and shows how they moved from honorary and voluntary roles to running museums over the 20th century.

Monday 7 November, Doors open 6.45pm, Lecture at 7pm. Te Manawa Museum Society Event. Te Rangahau Curiosity Centre, Te Manawa

Heritage building tours

Heritage sites across the city are opening their doors on Sunday 6 November for you to discover and appreciate.

Hoffman Kiln, 615 Featherston Street, 12 – 4pm

Palmerston North Electric Power Station 162 Keith Street, 12:30 – 4pm

Caccia Birch House, 130 Te Awe Awe Street, 12:30 – 4pm

You can keep touring the city’s heritage in your own time with the Manawatū Heritage Tours App.

This is just a selection of things that we have happening for Local History Week, so be sure to check out the programme above and take note of what catches your eye!

Stellar Books for the Look UP! Explore our Universe reading challenge

// Books

We’re journeying through space in our latest reading challenge: Look UP! Explore our Universe. Celebrating International Space Week 2022 with NASA @ My Library, we’re encouraging tamariki children to explore and read about the universe at their own pace or with a friend or family member. Here’s some great book choices, curated by librarian Kay.

Non-Fiction


Behind the scenes at the Space Station: experience life in space by Giles Sparrow

Defy gravity with an access-all-areas pass to the spectacular International Space Station with this behind-the-scenes guide to life in space.

Find it in the library.


Encyclopedia of starfighters and other vehicles by Landry Walker

Learn about more than 200 of your favourite Star Wars vehicles, from the A-wing to the Y-wing. From the swamps of Kashyyyk to the deserts of Jakku, from inner-city Coruscant to the vastness of hyperspace, Star Wars Encyclopedia of Starfighters and Other Vehicles will show you the right craft for the job.

Find it in the library.


How to survive on Mars by Jasmina Lazendic-Galloway

Get ready for lift-off on a Martian adventure! Have you ever imagined living on another planet? What about Mars? With not enough air to breathe, sunlight to keep us warm, or any available food and water, life on Mars would be a challenge… but it just might be possible!

Find it in the library.


My book of stars and planets by Parshati Patel

Discover mysterious planets and distant galaxies on an amazing journey across the Universe. Find out about the history and future of space exploration.

Find it in the Library.

Planetarium, illustrated by Christopher Wormell

Inside the pages of this beautiful book you’ll discover galleries of galactic matter, expertly curated to bring you the experience of a fascinating museum exhibition from the comfort of your own home. Planetarium features all aspects of space, from the Sun and our Solar System, to the lives of stars, the Milky Way and the Universe beyond.

Find it in the Library.


Space, by Richard Spilsbury

Find out all about the wonders of space, from Earth and the Moon, to the solar system, Milky Way and beyond! Discover how rockets overcome gravity to blast into space, how space suits protect astronauts on space walks and how rovers and probes explore planets that are many light years from Earth.

Find it in the Library.


Space: a book of extraordinary facts by Carole Stott

Explore the stars, meteorites, and planets, take a tour on a space station, and examine a space rocket in detail. Learn surprising facts in this lively and fascinating picture book all about space.

Find it in the Library.


Space number crunch : figures, facts, and out of this world stats you need to know by Kevin Pettman

This book about space gives kids all the facts, figures, and amazing information they want to know. It’s bursting with colorful infographics and high-impact artwork. Includes Space Record Breakers, Astronauts, Galaxies, Telescopes, Space Technology, the Sun, and a Number Crunch quiz.

Find it in the Library.


Space : the facts about our Solar system edited by Lauren Smith

Zoom into space with this guide to the universe. You’ll learn everything there is to know about our Solar System, discover what it takes to become an astronaut and imagine what the future of space exploration might look like. Get your spacesuit on and prepare for lift off!

Find it in the Library.

Star Wars: complete vehicles by Kerrie Dougherty

Explore the epic Star Wars saga through incredible cross-sections. More than 100 magnificent artworks bring the vehicles of Star Wars to life. New cross-sections, amazing detail, and comprehensive text make this the ultimate reference to the craft of a galaxy far, far away.

Find it in the Library.


Super space by Clive Gifford

Bursting with fascinating facts and the latest breathtaking images, this space book brings the wonders of the Solar System to life.

Find it in the Library.

Graphic Novels & Fiction

Sardine in outer space. Vol. 5 by Emmanuel Guibert

More adventures of the mischievous girl pirate named Sardine, as she and the crew of the spaceship “Huckleberry” foil the plans of evildoers Supermuscleman and Doc Krok.

Find it in the Library.

A wrinkle in time by Madeleine L’Engle

Meg Murry and her friends become involved with unearthly strangers during a search for Meg’s father, who has disappeared while engaged in secret work for the government.

Find it in the Library.


Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha Lee

Min, a thirteen-year-old girl with fox-magic, stows away on a battle cruiser and impersonates a cadet in order to solve the mystery of what happened to her older brother in the Thousand World Space Forces.

Find it in the Library.

Sam Wu is NOT afraid of space by Katie Tsang

I’m Sam Wu and I am not afraid of anything! And definely not space, with all its black holes, meteors and imploding stars . . So when I went to Space Camp with my friends this summer, I knew we had to: 1) be seen as the bravest space explorers and 2) win the Space Camp Challenge trophy! Easy as landing on the moon, right?

Find it in the Library.


Star Wars : 5-minute stories strike back

Collects twelve short stories from the cinematic world of Star Wars, including two tales from “Star Wars: the Last Jedi”.

Stories include: Short negotiations by Calliope Class Adventure in the arena, by S.T. Bende. The duel for peace, by Rebecca Schmidt. A journey begins, by Rebecca Schmidt. Trapped in the Death Star by Meredith Rusu and more.

Find it in the Library.

Picture books

A trip to the Moon

Blast off to the moon with Peppa and her friends! Prepare for take-off! George and his friend Edmond love pretending to be astronauts. But what will happen when they go on a trip to the moon?

Find it in the Library.


I am the universe by Vasanti Unka

It’s a starlit journey through space, from glittering galaxies to busy city streets, taking you on a tour around the universe.

Find it in the Library.

When Dad showed me the universe by Ulf Stark

A father takes his son on an evening walk to show him the entire universe. Translated from the Swedish.

Find it in the Library.

We hope this selection has you excited and ready to ocket into space! If you haven’t joind yet, it’s not too late! You can find out more and sign up here.

Together We Read

// Library News

This month Palmerston North City Library is participating in Together We Read, New Zealand’s largest online book club!

Between October 13 to 27, everyone with a library card is invited to join Together We Read. With your library card, you can borrow an e-book or e-audiobook copy of New Zealand author Nikki Crutchley’s critically acclaimed novel To the Sea.

How does it work?

To join New Zealand’s largest annual online book club, you will need:

  • Your library card number (on the back of your card) and pin number
  • To download the free Libby App on your device. (from the Apple App Store or Google Play)
  • Download To the Sea by Nikki Crutchley as an ebook. It’s free and there are no holds or waiting
  • Start reading!
  • During the two weeks for reading, you can join the author Nikki Crutchley and other readers across New Zealand for online discussions.

Once you have downloaded the Libby app, get your library card and log in with the barcode number and your pin.

If you’ve forgotten your pin, give us a call on (06) 351 4100.

I need a library membership

  1. You can join at any one of our library locations. Bring in some ID and proof of your address to any one of our libraries, and we’ll sign you up. OR
  2. The fastest way to join is to sign up and participate is to for a digital membership with Palmerston North City Library
  3. The form asks you to choose a library to join – pick Palmerston North Central Library
  4. Pick ‘Digital Only Membership‘. This way, you skip the need to provide proof of your address and can use our digital resources (including Libby) straight away
  5. (You can change your digital membership to a full membership with a card if you bring proof of your address into any one of our libraries)
  6. Fill in the rest of your details, read and accept the Terms and Conditions, and click REGISTER
  7. Log in to Libby with your membership, download To The Sea (and anything else that catches your eye), and you’re all set to start reading!

If you’re stuck, give us a call on (06) 351 4100

The Story

To the Sea by Nikki Crutchley (Harper Collins) is an atmospheric, suspenseful, dark and twisty thriller in the tradition of Daphne du Maurier, Paula Hawkins, Anna Downes and JP Pomare. Longlisted for the 2022 Ngaio Marsh Award, To the Sea is compulsively readable, keeping you guessing until late into the night, described by Rose Carlyle as, “An enthralling thriller, as beautiful and deadly as an ocean storm.”

How do I participate?

You are invited to join the zoom launch with Overdrive and author Nikki Crutchley on Thursday 13 October at 7pm.

Zoom link. the passcode is 203012

Or, you can call in from your mobile or landline to listen and join in. Simply call

09 884 6780, or
03 659 0603, or
04 886 0026

Join the discussion board online, for you to chat with other people and share your thoughts on the book as you progress.

What is Libby?

The Libby App is an award-winning digital app from OverDrive, and holds the industry’s largest digital literary catalogue. Available through most local libraries across New Zealand, Libby is a free service offering access to e-books, audio books and other digital content across numerous devices including iPhone®, iPad®, Android™ phones and tablets, Chromebook™, and Kobo® tablets and eReaders.

October School Holidays Week Two

// What's on

WOAH – we’re about to head into week two of the October School Holidays! Halloween is coming near and we’ve got some spooky stuff to celebrate and more play outside with our mates Sport Manawatu in parks around the city. The final screening of the Brazilian Kid’s Movie Festival, and a visit from Donovan Bixley, award-winning author and illustrator of kiwi faves Squawk!, Draw Some Awesome, and Ki te moe Aotearoa.

So grab your diary and take note of what’s coming up – we’ll see you here!

Monday 10 October

Look Up! Explore Our Universe! Reading Challenge

From 1 to 31 October, blast into a new reading challenge to celebrate International Space Week 2022. With NASA at My Library, explore and read about the universe at your own pace, and earn online badges along the way.

Find out more and sign up here.

Grab and Go Activity Pack: Spooktacular Halloween Fun

Central Library; Main Desk, first floor.

Get your Halloween started a little early with some craft bits and bobs. It’s a whole bag of Spooktacular fun!

Grab and Go packs are available in limited numbers

Aimed at ages 5+

Tuesday 11 October

Canine Friends Pet Therapy Visit

Central Library; Children’s Zone, 2-3pm

Come read to our dog pals from Canine Friends Pet Therapy. They’re excellent listeners!

Pop-up Play with Sport Manawatū

Te Pātikitiki Library; 157 Highbury Ave, 2-3:30pm

Let’s have some fun in our local parks with the crew from Sport Manawatū.

Don’t forget to slip, slop and wrap!

Wednesday 12 October

Pop-up Play with Sport Manawatū

Terrace End School, 10-12noon

Let’s have some fun in our local parks with the crew from Sport Manawatū.

Don’t forget to slip, slop and wrap!

Brazilian Kids Movie Festival – Turma da Monica, Uma Aventura no Tempo/ Monica’s Gang in an Adventure in Time

Central Library; Mezzanine, 10:30am – 12noon

Our heroes need to take a trip in a Time Machine, to recoup the essence of the four elements before the Earth gets frozen. The Gang will face the dangers of the Ancient History.

Find out more about the Brazilian Kid’s Movie Festival.

Te Pātikitiki Rocks!

Te Pātikitiki Library, 57 Highbury Ave. 11am – 12:30pm.

Rock painting for all. We have all the stuff, so come along and paint up some rocks with us.

Please bring stones to paint if you have them.

Free event.

Pop-up Play with Sport Manawatū

Village Valley Centre; Ashhurst, 2-4pm

Let’s have some fun in our local parks with the crew from Sport Manawatū.

Don’t forget to slip, slop and wrap!

Thursday 13 October

See Award Winning Illustrator Donovan Bixley in Action

Central Library; Children’s Zone, 2-3pm

In this fun family event Donovan will read from his books and share his best drawing tips and ideas for budding artists. PLUS, be the first in the world to get your paws on Donovan’s brand new full colour Flying Furballs annual/comic book Take-Off! from Paper Plus Palmerston North.

Donovan Bixley is the author/illustrator of several award winning books. Find a selection of his work at the Library.

Friday 14 October 2022

Freaky Friday – Spooktacular Halloween Story Time

Central Library, Children’s Zone, 10 – 11am

Scary, spooky, and strange stories to fright and delight. Dress up in your Halloween costume if you dare and come join in the fun. Aimed at ages 5+

Bring your Hell Reading Pizza Wheels along to do a book chat after, or grab a wheel to start!

Pop-up Play with Sport Manawatū

Awapuni Park, 10am-12noon

Let’s have some fun in our local parks with the crew from Sport Manawatū.

Don’t forget to slip, slop and wrap!

We hope you had an out-of-this-world school holidays! If you want to keep the good times rolling, our Reading Challenge is still open for new registrations. It’s not too late to jump aboard the space ship, so sign up here.

October School Holidays – Week One

// What's on

It’s the October School Holidays! No doubt your tamariki are super excited, but if you’re wondering how to keep them entertained, the Library is here to help you! We’ve got activities happening in our Community Libraries and at the Central Library on the Square. From author visits, the Brazilian Kids Film Festival, grab-and-go bags, and a NEW reading challenge, we’ve got loads to pack the first week of your school holidays.

All through the holidays

Look Up! Explore Our Universe! Reading Challenge

From 1 to 31 October, blast into a new reading challenge to celebrate International Space Week 2022. With NASA at My Library, explore and read about the universe at your own pace, and earn online badges along the way.

Find out more and sign up here.

Saturday 1 October

Brazilian Kid’s Movie Festival: O Menino no Espelho/ The Boy in the Mirror

Central Library; Ground Floor, 3:30-5:30pm

Fernando is a kid who lives all his fantasies in an intense way and with lots of imagination. Together with his friend Mariana and his dog Capeto, he commands a secret society and solves great mysteries like a ‘haunted house’.

Find out more about the Brazilian Kid’s Movie Festival.

Monday 3 October

Grab and Go Activity Pack: Give Me Some Space

Central Library; Main Desk, first floor.

Blast off the school holidays by celebrating International Space Week. Create your own planet and rock your own rocket!

Aimed at ages 5+

*Grab and Go packs are available in limited numbers

Tuesday 4 October

Pop-up Play with Sport Manawatū

Te Pātikitiki Library; 157 Highbury Ave, 2-3:30pm

Let’s have some fun in our local parks with the crew from Sport Manawatū.

Don’t forget to slip, slop and wrap!

Canine Friends Pet Therapy Visit

Central Library; Children’s Zone, 2-3pm

Come read to our dog pals from Canine Friends Pet Therapy. They’re excellent listeners!

Wednesday 5 October

Brazilian Kid’s Movie Festival: O Cavaleiro Didi e a Princesa Lili/ The Knight Didi and Princess Lili

Central Library; Mezzanine, 10:30am – 12:00noon

Didi plays King Lindolfo’s groom and valet, a faithful servant to the royal family. After the King’s death, his evil brother Jafar tries to seize the throne.

Find out more about the Brazilian Kid’s Movie Festival.

Te Pātikitiki Rocks!

Te Pātikitiki Library, 57 Highbury Ave. 11am – 12:30pm.

Rock painting for all. We have all the stuff, so come along and paint up some rocks with us.

Please bring stones to paint if you have them.

Free event.

Thursday 6 October

‘Monarchs of Aotearoa’ with author Erin Willson @ Central

Central Library; Children’s Zone, 10–11am

Join visiting author Erin Willson and celebrate the magical Monarch butterfly and the unique story of their journey to Aotearoa. With a very special story time, you’ll also learn how you can care for Monarch butterflies in your garden and take home your own swan plant seedling.

‘Monarchs of Aotearoa’ with author Erin Willson @ Te Pātikitiki Library

Te Pātikitiki Library, 57 Highbury Ave, 2 – 3pm

Join visiting author Erin Willson and celebrate the magical Monarch butterfly and the unique story of their journey to Aotearoa. With a very special story time, you’ll also learn how you can care for Monarch butterflies in your garden and take home your own swan plant seedling.

Friday 7 October

Freaky Friday – Give Me Some Space! Story Time

Central Library; Children’s Zone, 10am – 11am

Board the spaceship and travel to new spaces and places with stories from Planet Library.

*Bring your Hell Reading Pizza Wheels along to do a book chat after or grab a wheel to start.

Aimed at ages 5+

Saturday 8 October

Brazilian Kid’s Movie Festival: Taina 2, A Aventura Continua/ Taina 2: A New Amazon Adventure

Central Library; Ground Floor, 3:30pm – 5:30pm

The young warrior Indian Taina must battle against biopirates. She is joined by a new boy from the big city and an Indian girl who wants to follow her steps as a protector of the jungle.

Find out more about the Brazilian Kid’s Movie Festival.

We hope you have a blast in the first week of the school holidays, and we’re looking forward to seeing you here soon!

Māori books for Pakeke Adults

// Books

It’s Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, and we dived into the library catalogue to find some ka pai suggestions to help you immerse yourself in te ao Māori – this week and beyond. Even if you can’t yet speak te Reo, Palmerston North City Library has resources to support your use of te Reo Māori.

Ngā pukapuka o te Ao Māori (Books of Te Ao Māori)

Witi Ihimaera : his best stories

A definitive collection by one of New Zealand’s best loved Māori authors, Witi Ihimaera.  Rua tekau mā whā stories,  spanning more than toru tekau mā rima years.

Find it in the library.

Wars without end / Ngā pakanga whenua o mua New Zealand’s land wars: a Māori perspective by Danny Keenan.

From the earliest days of European settlement in New Zealand, Māori have struggled to hold on to their land. Tensions began early, arising from disputed land sales. When open conflict between Māori and Imperial forces broke out in the 1840s and 1860s, the struggles only intensified. For both sides, land was at the heart of the conflict, one that casts a long shadow over race relations in modern-day New Zealand. ‘Wars without end’ is the first book to approach this subject from a Māori point of view.

Find it in the library.

Māori oral tradition is the rich, poetic record of the past handed down by voice over generations through whakapapa, whakataukī, kōrero and waiata. Jane McRae reveals some of this in Māori Oral Tradition: He Kōrero nō te Ao Tawhito.

Find it in the library.

FFor thousands of years, Māori tohunga passed closely guarded knowledge to new generations of tohunga, using only an orally coded system. Rua rau years ago, they started recording that knowledge into secret manuscripts. These secret manuscripts are revealed here.

These secret manuscripts are revealed in Mariko B. Ryan’s Infinite threads: 100 indigenous insights from old Māori manuscripts.

Find it in the library.

Discover traditional Māori philosophy through 52 whakataukī – simple, powerful life lessons, one for every week. With Aroha: Māori Wisdom for a Contented Life Lived in Harmony With Our Planet, by Hinemoa Elder.

Find it in the library.

Learning te Reo

We have resources suitable for all ages, to support you on your te Reo learning journey.  We recommend learning in person for the best experience and introduction, and books can help support that.

Scotty Morrison’s Māori Made Easy Workbooks/Kete are for everyday learners of the Māori language. The 8 workbooks, each one building on the former. We have plenty of copies available in both the City and Community libraries, or online through BorrowBox. You just need to log in with BorrowBox using your library card number and pin, and you’re away!

Find them in the library.

A Māori word a day : 365 words to kickstart your reo by Hēmi Kelly is a simple, effective and fun Maori dictionary for all New Zealanders.

It offers an easy, instant and motivating entry point into the Maori language. We have four physical editions and availability on Borrowbox and as an Adobe e-pub. Find them in the library.

First thousand words in Māori is a great way for anyone of any age to build their vocabulary. If you’re a very visual learner, you’ll love the colourful graphics featured in this fun dictionary.

Find it in the library.

For more book suggestions, check out our suggestions for tamariki/ children and rangatahi/ youth. Ka kite anō!

Future Living Skills

// What's on

Would you and your whānau like to be more sustainable in your daily lives?

There are some very good reasons to take up sustainable practices.  Not only are they kinder to our climate and planet, but they will often save you money and have multiple health benefits too.

The journey towards sustainability can be much easier with the support of others and reliable information at hand.  With that in mind, Environment Network Manawatu (ENM) is offering a new series of workshops on practical sustainability known as “Future Living Skills”.  This series follows on from three successful series held by the Palmerston North City Council last year.   

Facilitated by experts from the community and the council, the 8 workshops are based on freely available learning guides. Topics range from growing your own food, to travel options, minimising waste, eco-building, community resilience, and more! 

Friendly and informal, the workshops are a great opportunity to learn from others in the room, as well as sharing your own ideas, challenges and tips.  What do you know that you’d like to share? 

You will also hear about some local sustainability initiatives, such as the new Repair Café, the Plastic Pollution Challenge, the Manawatū Food Action Network, and many other local opportunities for connecting with others who are making a practical and positive contribution to our community and environment. 

Future Living skills is hosted by the City Library and run by ENM.

Are you interested?  We’d love to have you join us!

To find out more or register visit https://enm.org.nz/news-1/future-living-skills, or check out ENM’s Facebook event and page.  Please note that numbers are limited and pre-registration is required (at the link above). Confirmation of the dates sessions will be sent to you..

Registration costs $40 but this fee is optional.

Future Living Skills was developed collaboratively by local government in NZ and is supported by Palmerston North City Council.  It is published by an independent charity called Sustainable Living Education Trust – www.sustainableliving.org.nz   

Any questions, please email Sally Pearce at support@enm.org.nz

The Gautam family, Chida, Chiteeze, Phampha, Salafa and Saafal, planted veggies, flowers and a plum tree.      

Māori content for Rangatahi Youth

// Books

This Te Wiki o te Reo Māori we dug into the catalogue to find some ka pai suggestions to help you immerse yourself in te ao Māori. Even if you can’t yet speak te reo, Palmerston North City Library has resources to support your use of te Reo Māori.

We also have some great Aotearoa New Zealand books encompassing te ao Māori into the storylines, and even in te reo Māori. Here’s some of our team’s picks for rangatahi to check out.

Ngā pukapuka o te Ao Māori (Books of Te Ao Māori)

Aotearoa New Zealand stories

The Pōrangi Boy ko Shilo Kino

Twelve-year-old Niko lives in Pohe Bay, a small, rural town with a sacred hot spring and a taniwha named Taukere. The government plan to build a prison here and destroy the home of the taniwha, which has has divided the community. Some are against it, but others see it as an opportunity. Niko is worried about the land and Taukere, but who will listen to him? He’s an ordinary boy who’s laughed at, bullied, and called pōrangi, crazy, for believing in the taniwha.

Find it in the library.

Bugs ko Whiti Hereaka

Meet Bugs: smart, sarcastic, sixteen and stuck in a small town without a driver’s licence. Bugs has been best mates with Jez forever; they’ve always been Jez and Bugs, Bugs and Jez. That is until Stone Cold, the new girl, arrives in town. The year was already going to be a challenge without adding spoilt, bitchy Stone Cold to the mix. Why would anyone want to be mates with her? But things are never as they seem on the surface – not the picture-perfect postcard views of Taupō, not the drama-queen antics of Stone Cold, not the quiet brooding of Jez. Not even Bugs. Now, as the future closes in, each will struggle with expectations: either trying to live up to them or trying to live them down.

Find it in the Library.

Huia short stories : Contemporary Māori fiction

Diverting, beautiful, strong: these stories could come from no other country. Selected to highlight new fiction from accomplished Maori writers.

Search all of the Huia collection.

Cuz ko Liz Van der Laarse

River is offered the chance to crew on his uncle’s trawler — a coastal trip to get a new engine. He finds his cousin Huia annoying — she’s all about Māoritanga while he can’t even speak the language. When an accident leaves the two cousins stranded on the coast of Fiordland they must work together to save themselves.

Find it in the library.

Kia kaha : a storybook of Māori who changed the world ko Stacey Morrison

A collection of true stories about amazing Māori who have achieved incredible things. Each of them blazed a trail in their own way, and this pukapuka was written to show that with your kura huna, your special gifts, you can make a difference too.

Find it in the library.

Wāhine toa : omniscient Māori women

The creation myths of the Māori are profoundly beautiful. They speak to us directly about birth and death, and about love – between man and woman, mother and child. In this remarkable body of work depicting the eight principal female protagonists in the myths – from Te Pō, the darkness before the world and all being, to Hinenuitepō, the goddess of death who claimed Māui as she claims the least daring of man.

Find it in the library.

Stories in te reo Māori

Tūtewehi, ko Fred Maro

“Arā tētahi patupaiarehe rerekē rawa atu. Ko Tūtewehi tōna ingoa. He hautipua, he whakahīhī hoki. Arā kē atu a Matakairangi. He patupaiarehe anō. He hoa rānei, he hoariri rānei ki a Tūtewehi? Ehara te ao patupaiarehe mō te tokorua rā. Kotahi noa iho o rāua ka toa, ka ora. Engari ko te pātai ia, ko Matakairangi rānei? Ko Tūtewehi rānei?

Find it in the Library.

Te kaieke tohorā/ The Whale Rider ko Witi Ihimaera

The whale rider was Kahutia Te Rangi, Ancestor of the people of Te Tai Rāwhiti. Then there was Kahu. The first great-grandchild of the whānau, she was loved by all her relatives except the one whose love she needed most – her great-grandfather.

Available in te reo Māori and English.

Graphic Novels


Wars in the Whitecloud : Wairau, 1843 ko M. H. McKinley

In a small clearing of land nestled within the Wairau valley two peoples met; the recently established settlers of Nelson, and the governing tribe of that region – the renowned Ngati-Toa. When they marched, both sides were prepared for confrontation… yet they weren’t expecting that their actions would drastically alter the future of the nation.

Find it in the Library.

Arohanui : revenge of the fey ko Andrew Burdan

A story of two hostile tribes: one thriving, the other starving and forced to enter into a hard bargain to survive. In the midst of the conflict, two lovers from opposing tribes, Kahu and Kuratawhiti, plan to bring their warring tribes together through their marriage. But tragedy looms as Kahu defends his beloved Kuratawhiti against his treasured sister, Mira, who unleashes a lifetime of rage on Kuratawhiti and her people

Available in English and te reo Māori.